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My Dear Friend, Body

'My Dear Friend, Body' is a short film created in isolation* by Rós Alexander, that explores the relationship between a girl and her body.

We live in a world that teaches us to judge our bodies, leading to many of us saying the cruellest things to the mirror.
But what if our bodies had a voice and could respond to those criticisms?

I hope this short film will help girls, women and whoever needs to see it, realise how amazing our bodies are, and that they truly are our most loyal friends who are fighting for us every day. I hope we can learn to do the same for them.

*isolation during Covid-19 pandemic

  • Rós Alexander
    Director
  • Rós Alexander
    Writer
  • Rós Alexander
    Producer
  • Rós Alexander
    Key Cast
    "Ruby/B"
  • Rós Alexander
    Composer
  • Rós Alexander
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Young Adult
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 15, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    0 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Rós Alexander

Rós Alexander
Director of My Dear Friend, Body

Born in Oxford England, raised in Iceland, Rós Alexander is an Icelandic actor, writer, director, and filmmaker. Currently residing in London, UK, Rós initially trained as a professional dancer at London Studio Centre and later transitioned into acting completing an MFA degree from Guildford School of Acting.

‘My Dear Friend, Body’ is Rós’ debut as a filmmaker. The idea and purpose for the film came from a conversation Rós had with her 11 year old niece about a negative relationship with her body. Watching someone so young struggle with something far too common was the spark that led Rós to create ‘My Dear Friend, Body’. Due to Covid19 and isolation, the film has a cast, crew, and creative team of just one. Rós is excited to continue her work as a filmmaker, though next time with a few more collaborators! She is specifically interested in exploring stories about women and mental health.

IG: @rosalexander95

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My Dear Friend, Body is a short film that explores the relationship between a girl and her
body. The film’s storyline is based as much on my own lived experience as it is a representation of the experiences of many women, girls and people who look in the mirror each and every day.

The concept for the film was the result of a conversation I had with my 11 year old niece. Here was a beautiful little girl coming to grips with the unrealistic beauty standards of society and coming to me in tears, wishing she saw someone, or something else, looking back at her when she looked in the mirror. My niece has the kindest heart and would never hurt a fly, yet here she was saying the meanest things she could think of about her body. I know all too well the feelings my 11 old niece was experiencing, as do so many others. We allow ourselves to say unkind things to our bodies, put unfair expectations on them and treat them poorly yet we wouldn’t accept this kind of behaviour towards other people, especially not our friends. Why do we allow it towards our bodies, towards ourselves?
Without thinking, I asked my niece: “Imagine that your body was one of your closest friends. Now, you wouldn’t speak that way to a friend, would you?” After our conversation, this simple idea stuck with me and I wanted to explore it further.

My Dear Friend, Body tells the story of Ruby, a girl on a journey of self-discovery and
self-love. The story explores the friendship between Ruby and her body, Body (B for short),
and plays out across a series of all-too-familiar scenarios where we get to hear Body speak
up and respond to the criticism directed at the mirror. Like any friendship, there are
arguments, laughs, and even tears.

I hope My Dear Friend, Body will help my niece, other girls, women and whoever needs to
see it, realise how amazing our bodies are, and that they truly are the best friends we have
who are fighting our corner every day. I hope we can learn to do the same for them.
Rós Alexander