After an extremely successful season at Adelaide Fringe in March this year, Louiza Hebhardt (Director EQUILIBRIUM Counselling, Training, and Consulting) will be bringing the documentary ‘Miss Representation’ to Sydney for a one off exclusive screening on Thursday 16 May.

“Miss Representation” first screened at Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and has aired on Oprah Winfrey Network as well as in over 35 countries across the globe. The film examines the negative consequences that come from women being misrepresented by the media and how this leads to them being under represented in positions of power (think politics, media, the corporate world and film). Other negative effects caused by the media portraying women based solely on their appearance and sex appeal include anxiety and depression, eating and body image disorders, self harm and in the worst cases suicide.

Although based completely in America, the issues discussed in ‘Miss Representation’ definitely apply to Australian audiences because we are so heavily influenced by American music, film and politics. The recent sudden surge in access to this media through modern advances in technology mean that young people are becoming more and more exposed to these inaccurate and often extremely damaging gender based depictions. You can see a preview of the documentary here.

In addition to raising audience awareness about the consequences of misrepresenting women in the media, ‘Miss Representation’ highlights the process for creating and maintaining more accurate representations of women by the media. The film also discusses in detail the factors that need to change so that women are more likely to as agents of change and with greater leadership capacity and efficacy.

Following the documentary screening, Melinda Tankard Reist will give her perspective about how the content of the film relates to the Australian context and how it applies to those who work with young people in the fields of education and mental health as well as those who are parents. Melinda will discuss the links between mental health, the sexualisation of girls and the objectification of women and will share information about numerous ‘wins’ against companies in recent times whose campaigns have been highly inappropriate (including Foxtel, Amazon, Bonds, Mossimo and Harvey Norman).

This session will go for approximately 3 hours and tickets cost just $50 per person, and will culminate in a Q&A panel which will take questions from the audience. Part proceeds from this event will go to a local Sydney organisation whose main work is supporting disadvantaged girls and women. Although officially unrated in the USA, the recommended viewing age for this film is 15+.

Thought provoking, poignant, confrontational and at times simply flabbergasting, this is an experience not to be missed – it will change the way you perceive the world and the work you do with young people forever!

*Tickets selling fast and available here.

RIP IT UP MAGAZINE REVIEW
MARCH 6, 2013
Miss Representation
Mercury Cinema, Mon Mar 4
Miss Representation is a powerful and moving documentary that will have you clenching your fists by the opening scene. Grinding bodies, bikini clad models, pointless celebrities and a surgeon rearranging someone’s face stand as proof that it’s “all about the body, not about the brain”.

Starring Jane Fonda, Geena Davis and former US Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice, the documentary draws on how movies never cast women as protagonists and that American women spend more money on beauty than education. That infamous Ralph Lauren airbrushing scandal, where a models waist was digitally resized in half, is also explored as well as how we’re more interested in Sarah Palin’s legs than the words coming out her mouth.

The incredibly inspiring and eye-opening documentary is not your typical bra waving declaration, but simply a stand on the sexploitation of women and how watching re-runs of Jersey Shore won’t lead to the election of a female President.
Final Word: Inspiring.
Melissa Keogh

 

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/28122207 w=500&h=281]

Miss Representation 3 minute Trailer 8/24 from Miss Representation on Vimeo.