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About Face: Supermodels Then and Now

About Face: Supermodels Then and Now

2012

NR

Director

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Runtime

75 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

An intimate view of the women whose images have defined our sense of beauty over the past five decades. An uncensored look at many of the biggest names in modeling, the movie reveals the stories behind the magazine covers displaying these multicultural pioneers. Each woman is candidly interviewed in the studio and shares her experiences, ideas on longevity, and philosophy of life in the fashion industry. Elegant archival footage and interviews with designer Calvin Klein and agency head Eileen Ford round out this absorbing chronicle.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.8/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film explores the personal philosophies and professional lives of supermodels. While providing an uncensored look at these women, it lacks a definitive focus on queer identities or specific LGBTQ+ narratives.

Gender Representation

Good

The documentary centers on female agency, shifting focus away from the male gaze. It presents models as architects of their own identities rather than passive objects of beauty.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The film highlights multicultural pioneers who broke historically homogeneous beauty standards. It validates non-Anglo-Saxon contributions to the global fashion industry through these central figures.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The narrative critiques the superficiality of consumerist beauty standards by revealing the stories behind iconic magazine covers. However, it remains an observational chronicle within a high-capitalist framework.

Disability Representation

Fair

There is no specific evidence regarding the depiction of neurodivergence or physical disabilities. The focus on aesthetic evolution may inadvertently prioritize conventional physical standards.

Strengths

  • Grants high levels of agency to a diverse group of women.
  • Highlights multicultural pioneers who challenged homogeneous beauty standards.
  • Shifts the perspective from the male gaze to the models' internal lives.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit focus on LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives.
  • Provides no specific representation of neurodivergence or physical disabilities.
  • Remains an observational chronicle rather than a critique of industry structures.

AI Analysis

About Face: Supermodels Then and Now succeeds in humanizing industry icons by prioritizing their internal realities over external spectacle. By centering the narrative on the models' own voices, the film effectively disrupts traditional hierarchies that often treat women as mere objects. The documentary's strength lies in its celebration of multiculturalism and female autonomy. It moves beyond the surface of fashion to document how diverse women shaped global aesthetic standards. However, the film remains largely observational and operates within the capitalist structures of the fashion world. It lacks explicit engagement with LGBTQ+ identities or disability representation, focusing instead on professional and aesthetic evolution.

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