By Victoria Stone-Meadows
TWO enterprising women are aiming to screen a documentary at Fountain Gate and start a movement in the South-East pushing back against body image pressures.
The documentary “Embrace” tells the story of body image activist Taryn Brumfitt as she explores the issues surrounding body image and how people are affected by these pressures.
The screening of the documentary at Fountain Gate will include a briefing session afterward where viewers can share their experiences and views on body image in society.
The film is a starting point for a wider movement that encourages people to become ambassadors for the “The Body Image Movement” and help combat negative body image in society.
Sharelle Cameron is a secondary school teacher from Hallam and has become an ambassador for the movement to help people develop love for how they are.
“I donated to the crowd funding effort for the film a few years ago then when it came out, I saw it in Warragul and I was blown away by it,” she said.
“I looked it up and contacted them about how to get involved, applied for it and was accepted to be an ambassador.”
Ms Cameron has teamed up with Syndi Grambau who runs a counselling and coaching business focused on women’s mental health issues.
“The core of my business helping women understand they are enough as they are,” Ms Grambau said.
“When I saw the film, I walked in a different person than when I walked out, I had such a different appreciation for my body and I’m so passionate about my practice and getting the word out through this movement.”
Ms Cameron said the documentary and the movement was about more than encouraging people to fit to an ideal.
“We are encouraging people to see the film and also start conversations with friends and family about what body image means to them,” she said.
“We’ve been brought up in a society and taught to compare ourselves to each other and it has to stop, it’s not helping us.”
Ms Grambau said The Body Image Movement went beyond fitness or weight and taught people about being happy with themselves.
“The purpose of the movement is not fat versus skinny or fit versus not fit, it’s about you finding yourself and fitting with you and finding love for own body irrespective of size.
“The message is for us to have more self-compassion and love for ourselves.”
Ms Cameron and Ms Grambau need to sell 74 more tickets for the screening at Fountain Gate to go ahead.
To purchase tickets to the screening, visit fan-froce.com/screenings and search for “Embrace”.
