Video Discussion Questions - National Eating Disorders Association

Video and Media Literacy Resource List
The following list was created to help guide viewers to educational video resources available on eating disorders,
dieting and body image. The National Eating Disorders Association does not necessarily endorse, support, or agree
with the themes, theories, or perspectives included in the books on this list. There are film discussion guides included
in this electronic Educator Packet for you to use in your classroom, community group, PTA meeting, etc. The films on
this list vary in length, theme and intended audience. *All films from the Media Education Foundation are available
for an exclusive discount to NEDAwareness Week participants through the end of February 2011.
Educational Videos
A Memoir to My Former Self. 15 min. Scenarios USA. For high school age and above. A girl rediscovers her true
identity and takes the hard steps toward improving her self-respect and tackling her eating disorder. Available at:
http://scenariosusa.org
Arresting Ana. 26min. Lucie Schwartz. A filmmaker follows a Pro Ana blogger and a French legislator who is
pushing for controversial legislation to penalize Pro Ana bloggers. Available from Women Make Movies at
www.wmm.com.
Behind Closed Doors. 8 min. LMNO Productions. A brief and intense look at the unreal world of fashion
photography. Available from Remuda Ranch: 1-800-445-1900 x 4501
Beyond Killing Us Softly: The Strength to Resist. (2000). 34 min. Cambridge Documentary Films. For middle
school and above. “A superb video on the relationship between advertising images and our cultural obsession with
dieting and thinness.” Available at: www.gurze.com
Beyond the Looking Glass: Self-Esteem and Body Image. (1994). 28 min. Susan Luftman and Eric Marciano. For
high school and above. An excellent introduction to media literacy. This video focuses on issues of self-esteem and
body image and does not discuss eating disorders directly. Available at: www.gurze.com
Body Image for Boys. (2002). 18 min. Films for the Humanities and Sciences. Explores some of the issues facing men
and boys today as they grapple with media images of the idealized and unattainable male body. Available at:
www.films.com
Body Politics: From the Series Women: A True Story. (1996). 47 min. Films for the Humanities. For individuals or
groups interested in feminism and the roots of eating disorders. Available at: www.gurze.com
Bodyspeaks. (2003). Allasso Foundation. This video focuses on the impact of art therapy on individuals recovering
from eating disorders will inspire both therapists and individuals in recovery alike. Available at: www.gurze.com
© 2004 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org � Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237

BodyTalk 1: Teens Talk About Their Bodies, Eating Disorders, and Activism. (1999). 28 min. The Body Positive.
For middle school and high school students. “Refreshing, hip, and engaging…this video does not directly discuss (and
thereby teach) the symptoms of eating disorders.” Focuses on the feedback we receive from the media, family, and
peers regarding our bodies and eating patterns. (Includes a guidebook). Available at: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
BodyTalk 2: It’s a New Language. (2001). 17 min. The Body Positive. Ages 8-13. “Children of diverse backgrounds
and sizes talk openly about puberty, teasing, trying to fit in, and the pressure they feel to look a certain way.”
Available at: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
BodyTalk 3: My Special Body. (2004). 20 min. The Body Positive. Ages 6- 9. “Teaches children that health can come
at any size, to eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full, and to move because it feels good.” Children
speak about the harm of being teased, tips are provided for coping with these situations, and eating for health and
exercising for fun is discussed. Available at: www.gurze.com.
Cover Girl Culture: Awakening the Media Generation. 80min. Nicole Clark. With an insider’s view, the film
addresses issues like today’s increasingly invasive media, heightened advertising to tweens, the sexualization of girls,
and consumer culture’s disempowerment of young women. Available from Women Make Movies at www.wmm.com
The Discovery of Dawn: Body Image, Self-Esteem, and Eating Disorders. (1996). 30 min. Newist/CESA. For high
school and above. Provides a look into the physical, psychological, and emotional contributions of poor body image
and eating disorders through the eyes of a recovered sufferer. (Comes with a leader’s manual). Available at:
www.gurze.com.
DisFIGURED. (2008). 96 min. This award-winning, entertaining, and thought-provoking feature film is about the
relationship between two women from opposite ends of the scales who are forced to confront deeply-buried feelings
about their bodies. www.gurze.com.
Dying to be Thin. (1994). 60 min. Films for the Humanities and Sciences. Follows the life of one woman as she battles
with anorexia and bulimia, through years of hospitalizations and outpatient treatment. Available at:
Channel9store.com
Faces of Recovery: Cathy Rigby on Eating Disorders. (1990). 35 min. Former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby talks
about eating disorders and recovery. Available at: www.amazon.com
The Famine Within. (1990). 90 min. Katherine Gilday. A documentary examining women’s views of their bodies and
the media’s role in fueling their insecurities. Features testimonials from individuals with eating disorders, children,
career women, dancers, athletes, models and more. Available at: www.filmakers.com
In Her Image: Producing Womanhood in America. (2004). 34 min. For high school and above. Examines
commercial influence in American life and helps groups to rethink everyday messaging, build body
confidence, and value diversity and tolerance. Playing on the usual media forms of image, text, and song,
this program explores where skewed ideas of body image originate and how American obsession with
appearance can be unhealthy. Note: some advertisement images contain nudity. Available at:
www.inherimage.juliabarry.com
In Our Own Words: Personal Accounts of Eating Disorders. (1993). 30 min. Rev. Steven Emmett, Ph.D. For college
students and adults. Several women, one man, and a mother who lost her daughter to anorexia provide a first-hand
look at what it feels like to have anorexia and bulimia. Available at: www.gurze.com .
BEAUTY: In the Eyes of the Beheld. (2008). 55 min. For 7 th grade and above. What draws together a pageant queen,
a physician, a legal assistant, an exotic dancer, an entrepreneur, and a musician who used to work with Prince? They
have all been called “beautiful.” What does beauty mean to them? Surprising stories emerge as they talk about
childhood, careers, relationships, and life happiness. Available at: http://beautydocumentary.com
© 2004 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org � Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237

Killing Us Softly IV: Advertising’s Images of Women. (2010). 45 min. Jean Kilbourne. This video summarizes 20
years of media critiques and examines new methods the media has developed to sell gender stereotypes and unrealistic
body ideals. Available at: www.mediaed.org
Meal Support Therapy for Family & Friends. This DVD, which is based on the experience of patients and their
caregivers at the Eating Disorders Program at BC Children's Hospital, is a "how-to" on providing meal support before,
during, and immediately after meals and snacks. 36-page manual included www.gurze.com .
Meal Support Therapy for Professionals. Meal support therapy is probably one of the most underestimated yet critical
components of the nutritional rehabilitation process in eating disorders. However, effective meal support is not just
sitting down and watching someone eat. It is an active process that needs to be planned and implemented with
compassion and care. www.gurze.com .
Media and Body Image DVD-ROM. A multimedia educational resource on media literacy and body image. This
DVD-ROM contains 38 selected media examples -- video and audio clips and images– accessed through a menu
system. The media examples include television commercials, magazine ads and excerpts from TV shows. Optional
SDH subtitles can be played with all audio and video clips. The disc also includes two printable presentations (basic
and intermediate/advanced) you can use to lead a conversation about the media examples on the disc. Available from
the New Mexico Media Literacy Project at: www.nmmlp.org
Parenting a Child with an Eating Disorder. (2004) 55min. This educational video is the candid, compassionate and
gripping story of Mary Ellen and Dan Clausen, parents of two girls who struggle with eating disorders.
www.gurze.com .
Perfect Illusions: Eating Disorders and the Family. (2002). 90 min. Peggy Case. The dramatic experiences of four
families whose lives have been impacted by eating disorders.
Available at: www.Channel9store.com
Pregnancy and Eating Disorders. 28 min. Films for the Humanities and Sciences. A specially adapted Phil Donahue
program which brings together pregnant women suffering from eating disorders and a physician, who explains the
effects of eating disorders on these women and their babies and where they can go for help. Available at:
www.films.com
Recovering Bodies. (1997). 34 min. Media Education Foundation. The stories of seven college students illustrate the
range of pressures which can lead to disordered eating, and the physical and psychological effects of eating disorders.
Available at: www.mediaed.org
Reviving Ophelia. (1998). 38 min. Mary Pipher, Ph.D. Discusses the challenges facing today’s teens, especially
females, and the role of media and pop culture in shaping their identities. Available at: www.mediaed.org
Self-Image and Eating Disorders: A Mirror for the Heart. (1994). 24 min. For individuals with eating disorders and
their loved ones. Provides collection of inspirational testimonials from women recovered from anorexia and bulimia, a
professional and a husband of one of the women. Available at: www.gurze.com
Skin Deep. (1993). 26 min. Disney Educational Productions. For middle and high school students. The story of two
friends, Kim and Jennifer, who are both swimmers and dissatisfied with their bodies. While Kim develops an eating
disorder, Jennifer finds help from a surprising source. Available at: dep.disney.go.com
Slim Hopes. (1995). 30 min. Jean Kilbourne. An in-depth analysis of how women’s bodies are depicted in advertising
images and the devastating effects of those images on women’s health. Available at: www.mediaed.org
Starved. (2006) 29min. A Film by Daria Matza. A short documentary that delves into the dysfunctional relationship
most women face with food and their bodies. www.gurze.com
© 2004 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org � Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237

Strength to Resist. (2000)34min. For middle school and up. Video includes discussions about what it means to grow
up in a society that is bombarded with images of "perfection" and the belief that the size of one's body is a measure of
self-worth. Many solutions are offered, such as finding positive role models, being active and athletic, taking steps
toward social justice by fighting back, respecting those who have fought for women's rights in the past, understanding
weightism, and more. Appearances by Carol Gilligan, Catherine Steiner-Adair, Gail Dines and others. Excellent for
both boys and girls. www.gurze.com
Swept. 13 min Bys: Arol Jahns, Stephanie Schweitzer. Richard and Jamie's lives are spinning out of control. He
spends nights at the office while both his wife and boss demand more; she finds herself in a recovery center, grappling
to unite the voices that fight to preserve and destroy her. When Richard visits Jamie at the center for the first time, this
brother and sister begin to break down barriers. Wavering between denial and confrontation, they struggle to find the
path towards healing, support, and love. www.gurze.com
This is Your Life! - Video Kit. (1999). 54 min. Foodplay Productions. For grades 4-9. A fun and thoughtful tool for
teaching media literacy and helping adolescents make healthy choices regarding nutrition, fitness, body image, and
eating disorders. Available at: www.gurze.com
Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity. 1999. 82 min., by Jackson Katz. Offered by the
Media Education Foundation, www.mediaed.org. The first educational video aimed at high school and college
students that deals with the social constructions and depictions of masculinity in the 21 st century.
Voices of Recovery (2003) 20min. Reflections and Insights from Those Who Have Recovered From Eating Disorders
www.gurze.com
What a Girl Wants. (2001). 33 min. Elizabeth Massie and CHC Productions. A half-hour examination of how the
media represents girls, as told by girls themselves. Available at: www.mediaed.org
When Food Becomes an Obsession: Overcoming Eating Disorders. (1994). 28 min. Susan Luftman and Eric
Marciano. For students, families, and community presentations. Follows the journey of a girl struggling with anorexia
and her family from sickness to recovery and beyond. Available at: www.gurze.com
Feature Length Films
Beauty Mark. (2009) 52 min. A film by Diane Israel, Kathleen Man & Carla Precht. Beauty Mark presents an
alarming, infuriating, and at times humorous look at the myriad of forces that shape our perceptions of beauty.
www.gurze.com.
Circle of Friends. (1995). 103 min. Pat O’Connor. Rated PG-13. Tells the story of three young women and best
friends attending college in Ireland and their encounters with life, men, school and family matters. Bennie, who is
somewhat curvy and plain-looking seems to have found her ideal man, the handsome star of the rugby team, but events
conspire which may ruin their happiness.
Connie and Carla. (2004). 98 min. Michael Lembeck. Rated PG-13. A mob mix-up in Chicago sends two dinner
theater performers running for L.A. where they score a perfect gig: posing as drag queens on the dinner theater/cabaret
circuit. In an art form about being true to one’s inner beauty, Connie and Carla found their haven.
Girlfight. (2000). 110 min. Karyn Kusama. Rated R. Diana, without her father knowing it, trains as a boxer and
achieves impressive success, blazing new trails for female boxers.
In Her Shoes. (2005). 130 minutes. Cameron Diaz. Toni Collette. Rated PG-13. Maggie, the consummate party girl,
clashes with her head-on-straight sister, Rose, depicting body image polar opposites in the same family.
© 2004 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org � Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237

Lbs. (2006). 99 min. Carmine Famiglietti. Rated PG-13 or R. Neil Perota is 27 years old and over 300 lbs. After
having a heart attack two days before his sister’s wedding, he is advised to change his eating habits. After the
humiliation of being exposed for cheating on his diet, Neil decides he must leave home in order to make a real change.
Real Women Have Curves. (2002). 84 min. Patricia Cardoso. Rated PG-13. Ana is Mexican-American, freshly
graduated from high school, has her first boyfriend, and is full-figured. As she struggles to define her identity, she
learns that real women take chances, have flaws, embrace life, and above all have curves!
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. (2005). 119 minutes. Amber Tamblyn. Alexis Bledel. Rated PG. Four best
girlfriends devise a plan to stay in touch with one another as their lives start off in different directions by passing
around a pair of secondhand jeans that fits each of them perfectly.
© 2004 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org � Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237

Video Discussion Questions
Below are some suggested questions that can be used to initiate dialogue within your group. Choose
those which best suit your video or audience.
1. What are your initial reactions to the film you’ve just seen? Were there things that surprised you?
...upset you? ...made you happy?
2. Did the video alter or challenge your perception of eating disorders and the individuals who suffer
from them?
3. What kinds of factors contribute to the development of an eating disorder? Have you, or someone
you know, experienced any of these?
4. If you noticed that your friend showed some signs of an eating disorder, what could you do to help?
5. Although the dieting mentality is widespread, dieting rarely works, can be dangerous, and may lead
to an eating disorder. Did you see anything in these videos which challenged your viewpoints on
dieting?
6. Think about reactions you have seen, heard or experienced in response to dieting, body image, and
eating disorders. How can we change or modify our own behavior so that we contribute to the
successful prevention of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction?
7. What role does the media play in the development of eating disorders? Does the media glamorize
eating disorders or downplay the seriousness of these illnesses?
8. Should advertisers be held responsible for the content of their ads?
9. When you see an advertisement, do you question whether the image you see is realistic?
10. What examples from daily life can you give that illustrate the use of deception in the media? How
does the disparity between the real world and the altered media images affect your self-esteem and
body image?
11. Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or
sexual orientation. Even so, these illnesses have long been erroneously characterized as problems
unique to white women.
a. Was diversity among sufferers of eating disorders reflected in the film?
b. In what ways do we see diversity ignored when the media addresses eating disorders?
12. What insight did you gain from the experiences of individuals and families struggling with an eating
disorder? What factors helped them to seek treatment and begin their recovery process?
13. What messages have you taken away from this film?
14. What did you see in this film that inspires you to take an active stance in working towards educating
people about eating disorders and their causes? What can you do to accomplish these goals? For a
list of some possible ideas, please see the handout, “Things to do during National Eating Disorders
Awareness Week (or Anytime!)” or sign-up to join NEDA’s Media Watchdog Program at
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.
© 2005 National Eating Disorders Association. Permission is granted to copy and reprint materials for
educational purposes only. National Eating Disorders Association must be cited and web address listed.
www.NationalEatingDisorders.org Information and Referral Helpline: 800.931.2237