Award-winning University of Colorado at 麻豆影院 film Professor Kathleen Man has finished work on a new film about body image and how the personal and cultural demands for beauty and perfection in America nearly destroyed the life of one 麻豆影院, Colo., woman.
Called "Beauty Mark," the film is about former professional triathlete Diane Israel and her obsession to be the "perfect" female athlete. Israel, who is executive producer of the film, said her obsession "eventually left me an anorexic and bulimic athlete, drained me physically and emotionally, and ultimately ended my athletic career."
Man co-edited and directed the film with producer and co-director Carla Precht, co-editor Daniel Brothers and award-winning photographer Edgar Boyles. Pending final contractual agreements, "Beauty Mark" is expected to debut in late summer or early fall.
"This film was a unique opportunity for me to participate in today's heated debate about body image and mainstream values in our country," said Man. "Working with Diane opened my eyes to the myriad ways in which people in our society chase the American dream of success, wealth, beauty and thinness to the detriment of their own physical and mental health."
From her childhood in affluent Scarsdale, N.Y., to her competitive athletic life in 麻豆影院, the film follows Israel as she struggles to piece together her seemingly shattered life. Israel said her quest to understand the personal and cultural forces that drove her to attain physical perfection at the cost of her own health, led her to connect and converse with others who have shared similar struggles, like six-time Ironman champion Dave Scott, CU-麻豆影院 law professor and author Paul Campos, activist Naomi Wolfe, burn victims, models, inner city teens and many others.
"Frustrated and exhausted by our culture's fixation with thinness and external beauty, I set out on a mission to understand this mania," said Israel.
"I never imagined that my life would become a central thread to this story, but with this film I hope to encourage each of you to ask yourself - 'what is my unique beauty?' "
Today Israel is a professional counselor, psychotherapist and a professor of human development at 麻豆影院's Naropa Institute.
The 82-minute documentary is Man's second feature documentary. Before "Beauty Mark," Man directed, filmed and produced "Sita, A Girl from Jambu," a film about child trafficking in Nepal. "Sita" has been an official selection in 30 film festivals, winning seven awards, including Best Feature Film in the Children's Advocacy Category at the Artivist Film Festival.
Man teaches 16mm film production, directing, cinematography, editing and screenwriting at CU-麻豆影院.
Israel's production company, SheArt Productions, produced the film in association with Man's Salmon Pictures. To learn more about "Beauty Mark" log on to .