Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be discovered as a model? The film Girl Model by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin gives a behind-the-scenes look of the model scout industry and the life of a young model.
To many of these girls, modeling seems to be the only way to bring their family out of poverty. This is the kind of responsibility young girls have who are discovered in countries like Siberia. The filmmakers follow an American scout who finds models for the Tokyo modeling industry. When she’s in Siberia, she notices 13-year-old Nadya and chooses her to be the next model. Nadya is young and beautiful, innocent and unsure, but her family needs the money. Nadya soon learns that the modeling world is not as it seems and struggles with homesickness and figuring out who to trust.
The documentary also reveals that darkness within the modeling industry and its effect on girls. When your entire livelihood and that of your family rests on your appearance, it’s easy to become obssessed and worried with your body. It’s also not healthy. The American scout struggles with the ethics of her job throughout the film.
You can purchase the Girl Model the movie by going to http://girlmodelthemovie.com/. The film is also available for university and college screenings.