Another Human Being

Justyna is 36 years old and suffers from obesity. Yes, she suffers, because obesity is a disease. She has tried many ways to lose weight, but all of them disrupted her body to the point that she gained weight while barely eating at all. At one point, the scale showed the equivalent of an "another human being”. She decided to undergo bariatric surgery, specifically a sleeve gastrectomy.

To commemorate accepting her body, she decided to have a photo session before going to the hospital. The first days after the surgery were a learning process for new habits: regular hydration, eating small portions, and taking supplements.

Justyna returned to work just a month after the surgery. She professionally hosts podcasts, including one of the most popular true crime podcasts in Poland, and in 2022 she was also in the top 100 globally on Spotify.

The film shows pivotal moments such as dropping below 80 kg, trying on smaller-sized pants, transitioning from obesity to being overweight, as well as author meetings, industry events, contracting COVID-19 and the subsequent quarantine, more photo sessions, and family gatherings.

The weight loss journey is accompanied by anxiety about her health, as her test results are poor. She is diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. The question arises whether, if this diagnosis had been made earlier, the surgery (which is irreversible) would have been necessary. There is no answer to this question, and there never will be. However, the struggle for health seems to have a positive outcome, as Justyna becomes pregnant—here the titular „another human being" appears again, but in a completely different sense.

The film is very intimate because it is made by Justyna's husband. Frequent interactions and voice-overs give a sense of participation in these events, but also sometimes lighten the atmosphere.