Shadows and Lies
The Unseen Battle of Eating Disorders
By Karen Pascal
Windborne Productions

"I think the biggest misconception about eating disorders is that it’s about food. It has nothing to do with food; it’s what’s going on inside." – Janet

"I felt really bad about myself and I got really depressed, and I’d eat, but then there would be all this shame about eating, so then the depression would just get worse. It was just a cycle you couldn’t get out of." – Jennifer

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia have claimed many lives, as well as headlines, in the past two decades. About five percent of urban teenage girls are affected by eating disorders. Another twenty percent dabble in unsafe weight control practices. Dieting activity can start as early as fourth grade, with some girls as young as nine having serious problems. The emotional and psychological impacts of eating disorders are felt not only by these young women themselves, but by their families and loved ones as well.

This powerful and honest documentary profiles four women who are working themselves free from the deadly grip of eating disorders, and from the overwhelming physical and psychological complications associated with these deadly diseases.

Produced in association with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and Vision TV.

24 minutes
© 1999
Purchase $149 VHS
Order No. QA-309
ISBN (VHS) 1-57295-309-8

Reviews
"Recommended for academic, health sciences, high school and public libraries." MC Journal

"This eye-opening program is a good school and public library resource." Booklist

Related Films
Shredded: This provocative documentary explores the damaging lengths to which teenage boys may go to achieve the muscular, "shredded," look of action-movie stars and comic book superheroes. "If this screws me up, it screws me up," says one. "I want to get big quick."

Inside Out: Bulimia can affect women and men from all walks of life, and it kills nearly 20 percent of its victims every year. This moving documentary profiles individuals and families affected by this eating disorder.

The Other Side of Blue: Eight to ten percent of teens may suffer from clinical depression, and many of these young people may attempt suicide. This provocative video focuses on its nature, causes, symptoms, and consequences, and on how the social stigma associated with depression blocks some teens from seeking help.

Between the Lines: A visually lyrical, experimental documentary about women who cut themselves, this film explores the fine line between self-destructive behavior and self-preserving coping mechanisms.

To rent or purchase this film, please visit the Icarus Films website

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