Description |
1 online resource (1 streaming video (16:50 min. + 4:28 min.)) : sound, color, digital file |
Series |
Work for all
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Summary |
The Colour of Beauty is a shocking short documentary that examines racism in the fashion industry. Renee Thompson is trying to make it as a top fashion model in New York. She's got the looks, the walk and the drive. But she's a black model in a world where white women represent the standard of beauty. Agencies rarely hire black models. And when they do, they want them to look "like white girls dipped in chocolate." Is a black model less attractive to designers, casting directors and consumers? What is the colour of beauty? |
Analysis |
Fashion industry Racism Beauty Black women Women fashion models |
Notes |
Additional short interviews with the director: [1]. The face of the fashion industry (1:34 min.). Elizabeth St. Philip describes how the fashion industry discriminates against models of colour and narrowly defines the concept of beauty by providing only marginal exposure for non-white models -- [2]. The color of our values (1:27 min.). Elizabeth St. Philip wants the audience to ask questions about who is visible within the pages of fashion magazines. Why is one type of beauty celebrated at the expense of others? And what does this say about our own values? -- [3]. Breakin' in vs. The colour of beauty (2:42 min.). Elizabeth St. Philip compares the themes of this film with those of her other NFB documentary, Breakin' In, which chronicled the challenges faced by Black women trying to launch their careers in the hip-hop music video industry. Both films examine the roles of women of colour within mass media, but the fashion and music industries are defined by different forces -- [4]. Journalist vs. doc filmaker (1:46 min.). Elizabeth St. Philip is also a full-time news producer. She describes what she considers to be the differences and similarities between making a documentary and producing TV news in bringing vital and compelling stories to an audience |
Credits |
Director, Elizabeth St. Philip ; producer, Alexandra Yanofsky |
Notes |
In English |
Subject |
Thompson, Renee -- Videos (www)
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African American models -- Videos (www)
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African American models
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Genre/Form |
Internet videos
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documentary film.
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Internet videos
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Feature films
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Documentary films
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Short films
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Documentary films.
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Short films.
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Feature films.
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Documentaires.
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Courts métrages.
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Form |
Streaming video
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Author |
St. Philip, Elizabeth
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National Film Board of Canada
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