You are here:

Obesity: The Post Mortem

Name: Obesity: The Post Mortem
Director: Satiyesh Manoharajah, Melanie Archer
Released: 2016
Duration: 55 min

Representation Score

2.4/10

Limited

2016

Director

Satiyesh Manoharajah, Melanie Archer

Runtime

55 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Obesity: The Post Mortem is a specialized medical documentary that prioritizes biological reality over social identity. Its primary goal is the dissemination of clinical facts regarding the physiological impact of obesity through a post-mortem examination. Because the film operates within a strict scientific and institutional framework, it lacks the narrative structure needed for meaningful social representation. It does not seek to challenge cultural norms or explore multiple aspects of identity, focusing instead on the anatomical consequences of a health crisis. Ultimately, the film is a study of pathology rather than a study of people. While it addresses a significant public health issue, it does so through a lens of clinical observation that bypasses traditional diversity metrics.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Obesity: The Post Mortem have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film is a clinical medical documentary focused on pathology. It contains no evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or narratives addressing non-straight relationships.

How does Obesity: The Post Mortem portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers on the body of a 17-stone female subject. It functions as a biological study rather than a critique of gendered social dynamics.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Obesity: The Post Mortem?

Minimal

The documentary focuses on a singular medical case study within a UK context. There is no indication of a diverse cast or specific racial backgrounds.

How does Obesity: The Post Mortem represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film aligns with Western medical and scientific institutions. It prioritizes empirical data and public health standards over the exploration of diverse cultural frameworks.

Does Obesity: The Post Mortem include disability representation?

Fair

The film engages with the physical realities of morbid obesity. However, the portrayal is clinical and post-mortem, lacking the active role of a lived experience.

Present on Screen

Provides a direct, unflinching look at the physiological consequences of morbid obesity.
Utilizes a clinical approach to present medical facts and biological realities.

Limited or Absent

Lacks exploration of lived experiences or the active role of those affected by obesity.
Does not engage with social, racial, or gendered dimensions of the health crisis.

Official Synopsis

Documentary revealing just how dangerous too much fat is to our most vital internal organs. The programme follows a specialist pathology team as they conduct a post-mortem on the body of a 17-stone woman whose body was donated to medical science. Their findings, as they dissect the body and its organs, are startling, exposing the devastating impact of obesity with stunning visuals and fascinating medical facts. Morbid obesity reduces life expectancy by an average of nine years and is blamed for over 30,000 deaths in the UK every year. With 65 per cent of people already overweight or obese, this extraordinary film is a powerful contribution to the debate about fat, food, lifestyle and how the health service will cope with the growing obesity crisis.

How are these scores produced? →