The weight of a Post-It

Ellen returns to her desk to find a Post-It note waiting for her - a harmless, everyday object that stirs something far heavier inside her. As she hesitates to read it, we’re drawn into a series of flashbacks from her childhood and teenage years, tracing her complex relationship with her glamorous aunt.

Each memory peels back a layer of Ellen’s identity, revealing how her aunt's influence, laced with both affection and judgement, shaped her perception of her body and her value.

  • Danielle Reid
    Director
  • Danielle Reid
    Writer
  • Danielle Reid
    Producer
  • Odelia Johnson-Saunders
    Key Cast
    "Older Ellen"
  • Alice Mukunku
    Key Cast
    "Young Ellen "
  • Lauren Deanna Stubbs
    Key Cast
    "Aunt Caroline "
  • Michele Cadei
    Cinematogapher
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Danielle Reid

Danielle Reid is an emerging filmmaker with a passion for telling authentic, character-driven stories that explore the complexities of identity, belonging, and human connection. Coming from a background in screenwriting, Danielle has an eye for nuanced storytelling and a deep commitment to representing the diversity of experiences shaped by her upbringing in South London.

Her directorial debut, The Weight of a Post-It, is a deeply personal and emotionally resonant exploration of body image, diet culture, and the long-lasting impact of critical comments on self-worth. Drawing from personal experience, Danielle brings an intimate and introspective perspective to the film, crafting a visually and compelling narrative that speaks to the universal struggles of self-acceptance.

Danielle is dedicated to creating bold, thought-provoking stories, and has had work featured on Wondery (Amazon) and currently has a horror feature optioned by a production company.

The Weight of a Post-It marks an exciting first step into directing and producing, setting the stage for a filmmaking career rooted in empathy, representation, and fearless storytelling.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The Weight of a Post-It was an important story for me to tell because I know firsthand how deeply ingrained body image issues can become - how a single comment, an offhand remark, or even a seemingly insignificant gesture can embed itself into your psyche and shape the way you see yourself for years.

Growing up, I absorbed the unspoken rules about weight and beauty, internalizing an obsession with size that I carried into adulthood. Last year, I was officially assessed with body dysmorphia, a diagnosis that only confirmed what I had been struggling with for the majority of my life.

In an era where trends like Ozempic and the rapid cycling of beauty standards dictate what bodies should look like, the pressure on women - especially young women - is relentless. We’re constantly told to shrink, to conform, to strive for an ideal that is ever-changing and near impossible to reach. The Weight of a Post-It has been a cathartic way of confronting this reality head-on. It’s a deeply personal story, but one I know will resonate with so many.

Through Ellen’s journey, I wanted to capture how early influences, particularly from family, can shape our self-image in ways that linger far beyond childhood.
With this film, I hope to spark conversations about the quiet, insidious ways diet culture seeps into our lives and the lasting damage it inflicts. But more than that, I want it to be a reminder that we are more than the numbers on a scale, more than the unrealistic expectations placed upon us. Our worth is not defined by our size.