FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“INSPIRING” “ENLIGHTENING”
“A tribute to student journalism and the power of
investigative reporting.”
-Common Sense Media
Politically-Charged Film on Childhood
Obesity Premieres October 5th in New York City
New York, NY – September 19, 2016 - Acclaimed
filmmakers Michael and Bailey Webber will be present for a special-event
screening of their ground-breaking new documentary The Student Body. Winner of the 2016 Independent Spirit Award, The Student Body tackles the heated
topic of childhood obesity and the efforts to solve this national
epidemic.
Hosted by The National Eating Disorders Association, The Student Body will screen on
October 5th at the Regal E-Walk Theatre off Broadway where the
award-winning father/daughter filmmaking team will participate in audience
engagement while exploring issues of health, student activism, leadership, lawmaking, and other topics of importance to youth and adults
around the country.
The Student Body follows
the inspiring story of Bailey Webber, a brave high school student turned
journalist who seeks justice for her peers.
In many states throughout the country, laws have been enacted requiring
schools to send notification letters to students whose body mass index (BMI) do
not fall within a narrowly “acceptable” range—essentially telling children,
even as young as kindergarteners, that they are fat. The documentary illustrates how youth can use
their own passion and voice to engage lawmakers in order to advocate
change. The Student Body will release in select theatres throughout the
year.
Synopsis:
In an effort to address the
obesity problem among American youth, lawmakers in dozens of states have passed
controversial mandates forcing schools to perform BMI tests on students. What soon followed sparked a heated national
debate. Coined the 'Fat Letters' by
students, notification letters were sent to kids whose body mass did not fall
within a narrowly acceptable range; essentially telling children, even as young
as kindergarteners, that they are fat.
When a determined sixth grader in Ohio voices her protest against the
letters, student journalist Bailey Webber is inspired to take up her
fight. Convinced that her fellow
students are being unfairly profiled and bullied by the government, Bailey's
investigation soon turns into a battle of wills between herself and the
bureaucrats who passed the law. The Student Body is a true
underdog story of two brave girls who take a stand against government intrusion
and hypocrisy while exploring the complex and controversial truths of the
childhood obesity debate.
About Bailey Webber Bailey Webber is a student
investigative journalist, writer and codirector of The Student Body. Her story of courage and activism has been
featured in numerous newspaper and online articles. She has been honored by the
National Association of University Women for her advocacy work, is an
ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association as well as Proud to Be
Me in which she has written several articles, blogs, and has participated in
panel discussions. Bailey is also an up-and-coming public speaker and has
appeared as a guest on several television and radio shows. Bailey is the
daughter of Michael Webber, a motion picture producer and renowned documentary
filmmaker. As such, she has grown up around movie making and has storytelling
in her blood. The Student Body is her directorial debut.
About Michael Webber:
Michael Webber is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and producer/codirector
of The Student Body. Webber has
produced numerous theatrical films for studios such as 20th Century Fox and
Lionsgate. Eventually applying his storytelling skills to nonfiction
filmmaking, Webber would go on to produced/directed his “passion project” the
hit documentary The Elephant in the
Living Room. The film was praised by critics as one of the best films of
the year, winning 5 Best Documentary awards and opening as the #1 independent
film in the US. Michael has been guest
on countless radio and television talk shows around the country, including
appearances on The Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News and
Nightline. He was
also the subject of an ABC 20/20
special by Emmy Award Winning journalist Jay Schradler.
The 411 by Maria:
This is a wonderful documentary by a students who decided to take action after "fat letters' were mailed to students from their schools. I loved watching Bailey's tenacity as she tries to interview the lawmakers who have justified the BMI Scale in schools as a way of profiling people. I found it so interesting that students are made to get on the scale in front of their classmates, weighed and then judged however when Bailey asked every adult she interviewed if they would get on the scale, all but two refused. The adults were offered the right to CHOOSE whether or not they wanted to. Only two agreed. This documentary for me proved that kids have voices, they can make a difference and while I know that this BMI Scale thing is a hot mess, it was great to hear so many professionals stating so. The scale is so narrow. My daughter is a gorgeous, 11 year old and according to her BMI she is overweight. She is nowhere near overweight and I dare some letter from school to tell her so.
As someone who had an eating disorder when I was younger, I worry about kids hearing about weight so young. I have always made it be about how you feel. How making the right food choices is about being healthy and strong. Never about a number. I haven't weighed myself in over 25 years and it is the best thing I ever did for myself. Even through my pregnancies I asked my doctors to not mention weight unless I was at a dangerous level. I can't let it ever be about a number.
Weight is a private thing and I would want to empower my children to be able to refuse the test. No one needs to tell an overweight person that they are overweight. They know it and see it daily. But when schools and the government decide they have jurisdiction over our weight there is a serious problem. I was happy to read that the Ohio lawmakers which is where Bailey's story takes placed ended mandated BMI testing in schools.
Great documentary. It was riveting.
As someone who had an eating disorder when I was younger, I worry about kids hearing about weight so young. I have always made it be about how you feel. How making the right food choices is about being healthy and strong. Never about a number. I haven't weighed myself in over 25 years and it is the best thing I ever did for myself. Even through my pregnancies I asked my doctors to not mention weight unless I was at a dangerous level. I can't let it ever be about a number.
Weight is a private thing and I would want to empower my children to be able to refuse the test. No one needs to tell an overweight person that they are overweight. They know it and see it daily. But when schools and the government decide they have jurisdiction over our weight there is a serious problem. I was happy to read that the Ohio lawmakers which is where Bailey's story takes placed ended mandated BMI testing in schools.
Great documentary. It was riveting.
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