After I made the Embrace documentary — and came down from the extreme high of being on a global tour, screening the film to millions of people and smashing box office rankings — I started processing all the conversations I’d had with people after they watched it.
The film had been so well received, but the number one piece of feedback that I kept hearing was: “I wish I’d seen this film when I was younger.”
I knew that many young people, all over the world, were worrying about how they look. In Australia, 77% of children consider body image to be their number one issue.
It was time to get back to work.
I pulled together a super crew of Executive Producers — Teresa Palmer, Natasha Stott Despoja and Celeste Barber — and we got cracking.
We worked with a team of professors from Flinders University and Victoria University to make a film to show eight to twelve-year-olds that their body is incredible — it’s their home and they should never be at war with it.
The film brought together an amazing cast of young people and celebrities who shared their experiences about body image, bullying, gender identity, advocacy and representation.
The insight and passion that was shared by our cast is what makes this film so incredible — and I’m forever grateful to Celeste Barber, Jameela Jamil, Alex Noble, Amy Sheppard, Audrey Mason-Hyde, Chloe Hayden, Electric Fields, Erin Phillips, Scott Stuart and Enzo Cornejo for sharing their stories.
Premiering at the Melbourne International Film festival, the film was screened in hundreds of cinemas across Australia and broadcast on major television networks. But nothing compared to the profound breakthroughs that happened in the way kids felt about their bodies. Researchers from Flinders University found that most kids who watched the film said they would spread kindness on social media and nearly 90% said they accept themselves as they are. That’s the best accolade we could ever receive.
I’m so proud of this film and the way it’s been used by families, carers and schools to help our kids appreciate their bodies and live their lives with joy. Find out how to watch the Embrace Kids film or host a screening.
