There She Is – Beauty in the Plus Size Pageant World

Documentary.net staff — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 22:21:58 +0000

Does beauty have a limited definition? Can we make that definition more inclusive? In many ways, best friends Allison Kopach and Jenny Flores are typical pageant queens. They love makeup, fashion, and anything that sparkles. However, unlike Miss America, at a size 22 the only doors open to them are in the plus size pageant world. THERE SHE IS follows the two as they prepare for and compete in the 2011 American Beauties Plus Pageant and revisits them in 2012 to reflect on the outcome of the pageant and what has changed in their lives. The film explores how Allison and Jenny feel about their own beauty in a society where being plus size is considered a flaw and competing in a plus size pageant is seen as taboo. Through revealing interviews, the viewer gets a glimpse into the world of these two women, who like many women and men (regardless of size), are faced with reconciling a strong self-image with the influential yet often unattainable images of beauty surrounding them. Directors Statement (Emily Sheskin & Veena Rao) "Two years ago we set out to make a film with an idea that has always interested us: how we define our notion of beauty and what influences this definition. We brainstormed for a while and became interested in exploring our theme with pageantry, a traditional expression of beauty with a historical basis in the U.S, as the backdrop. Around the same time we came across the statistic that the average american woman now wears a size 14. So we wondered, we’ve heard of Miss America, but are there pageants that include the average American woman? We soon found out that there are numerous plus size pageants that invite women size 14 and above to compete. From there we started talking to contestants across the country and finally met our characters, Allison and Jenny, who impressed us with their willingness to be open about their experiences as plus size women and pageant queens. We interviewed each of them before the pageant, filmed them during the 2011 American Beauties Plus Pageant in Atlanta, and followed-up with them a year later to see how their lives had changed."

Beautiful Liverpool

Documentary.net staff — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:57:21 +0000

We travel to England’s northwest, Liverpool, Europe’s capital of beauty. There are more gyms and tanning salons per head here than anywhere else in the UK. In episode one of Beautiful Liverpool, we meet tan-obsessed Carolyn who’s willing to inject herself with chemicals to alter the colour of her skin. We also meet model-turned-local-celebrity, Amanda Harrington, as well as Serena Sophia whose modelling is helping the fallen soldiers of the Afghan war. Subtitles available (english, dutch, french), click CC in video For the second episode of the series, we meet Liverpool’s “King of Bling”, Herbert Howe, a local celebrity hairdresser. As he does the columnist/model Jade Ainsworth’s hair, he talks of the changing face of the Liverpool beauty industry. We then visit Glam n Glitter, a special boutique in Crosby, offering cosmetic surgery. Here, we are exposed to Liverpool’s obsession with hair extensions, while back at the hotel; Carolyn is getting ready to take her injection… For the third episode of Beautiful Liverpool, we are at the Mr Liverpool contest at The Plaza. The fashion designer Matt Fisher is one of the hopeful contestants. As he gets ready for the contest, we follow him through his suit-fitting, tan-spraying, and training sessions. We then meet Amanda Harrington for a behind-the-scenes photo shoot. Later, an ex-steroid user meets us at his home to talk about his steroid addiction. For this episode, we are also introduced to steroid-fuelled muscle men who pump up their guns and tan themselves for a bodybuilding contest. In the fourth episode of Beautiful Liverpool, we meet Amanda Moss and Jade Ainsworth. Moss is the editor of Liverpool’s Lifestyle Monthly and Ainsworth writes a fashion column for the mag. We watch them get ready as Moss hosts a party at her house for the local elite. Meanwhile, Miss Liverpool contestant, Serena is getting ready for the competition. In the finale of Beautiful Liverpool, the drug expert Martin Chandler discusses Melanotan abuse. While he talks about how it is impossible to pin down how widespread its usage is, Carolyn shows us how to administer a tanning injection. Meanwhile, the final of Mr and Miss Liverpool 2010 is approaching.

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There She Is – Beauty in the Plus Size Pageant World

Beautiful Liverpool