The Body Beautiful - 1991

This bold, stunning exploration of a white mother who undergoes a radical mastectomy and her Black daughter who embarks on a modeling career reveals the profound effects of body image and the strain of racial and sexual identity on their charged, intensely loving bond. At the heart of Onwurah’s brave excursion into her mother’s scorned sexuality is a provocative interweaving of memory and fantasy. The filmmaker plumbs the depths of maternal strength and daughterly devotion in an unforgettable tribute starring her real-life mother, Madge Onwurah.

23min
1991
Released
Trakio rating0.0/10
IMDB rating6.4/10

Cast

Rosie Rowell profile pictureRosie RowellNarrator (voice) Daughter
Sian Martin profile pictureSian MartinThe Daughter (as Sian Martin)
Brian Bovell profile pictureBrian BovellYoung Man

About The Body Beautiful

The Body Beautiful Overview

This bold, stunning exploration of a white mother who undergoes a radical mastectomy and her Black daughter who embarks on a modeling career reveals the profound effects of body image and the strain of racial and sexual identity on their charged, intensely loving bond. At the heart of Onwurah’s brave excursion into her mother’s scorned sexuality is a provocative interweaving of memory and fantasy. The filmmaker plumbs the depths of maternal strength and daughterly devotion in an unforgettable tribute starring her real-life mother, Madge Onwurah.

Runtime: 23min

Extra details

Original Title: The Body Beautiful
Original Language: English
Directed By: Ngozi Onwurah
Production Companies
BFI