Everything You Should Know Before Watching Netflix’s New Film ‘To The Bone’
Australian mental health orgs are issuing warnings about the upcoming film.
Content warning: this post discusses eating disorders and suicide.
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A number of national mental health organisations including Headspace, Mindframe and the Butterfly Foundation have issued warnings about upcoming Netflix film To the Bone, which centres on a young woman living with anorexia nervosa.
While only the trailer has been released in Australia, Headspace CEO Jason Trethowan says the film appears to depict confronting images which could be a trigger for young people living with or at risk of developing an eating disorder. (Consider that before viewing the trailer below).
“The concern is about the portrayal of behaviours associated with an eating disorder — and whether this may be providing a ‘how to’ guide for adolescents who may be at risk,” Trethowan said in a statement. “We don’t want any representation or discussion in the media, on TV, or anywhere else, that has the potential to place young people at risk.”
Netflix has been slammed on social media for potentially creating such a risk by showing the film’s trailer without trigger warnings too. Further concerns have arisen over stills from the trailer appearing on “thinspiration” websites, which dangerously glamourise eating disorders.
This criticism has led to comparisons with controversial Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, which was slammed as irresponsible for its gratuitous portrayal of teen suicide. However, given that To the Bone has yet to be released in full, warnings so far have centred on encouraging safe viewing, recommending that people who have experienced eating disorders consult with their health professionals and support networks before watching the show.
Despite widespread concerns, writer and director Marti Noxon and lead actress Lily Collins have defended the film as a responsible portrayal of eating disorders which draws on their own personal experience.
In an interview this week, Collins said that “neither Marti nor I, having gone through the disorder ourselves, nor anyone in the cast and crew would ever actively pursue making a film that glamourised, fetishised or encouraged a disease that is so negative.”
Noxon, who is perhaps best known for writing and producing Buffy the Vampire Slayer, tweeted a statement responding to the controversy the film had drawn.
#ToTheBone @netflix pic.twitter.com/ULlsJco3oV
— marti noxon (@martinoxon) June 23, 2017
“In an effort to tell this story as responsibly as we could, we spoke with other survivors and worked with Project Heal throughout production in the hopes of being truthful in a way that wasn’t exploitive,” she wrote.
“My goal with the film was not to glamorise EDs, but to serve as a conversation starter about an issue that is too often clouded by secrecy and misconceptions.”
While Headspace supports the need to discuss eating disorders more openly, their warning stressed the need to have “the right conversation about the problem”. In particular, this entails treating eating disorders as a serious illness with long-term physical and psychological impacts, and refraining from portraying strategies or tactics that may form a “how-to guide” to eating disorders for at-risk adolescents.
The extent to which To the Bone provides a constructive representation of eating disorders will be unclear until the full film is released on July 14 (though early reviews are promising). In the meantime, guidelines are available from The Butterfly Foundation to help viewers prepare for its release.
If you are experiencing an eating disorder, they suggest speaking with your health professional or their helpline (1800 334 673) before viewing. If you feel overwhelmed after watching the trailer, steer clear of the film.
If you are young, they suggest speaking with a parent before watching the film. If you are a parent, it’s a good idea to watch this one with your child so you can answer any questions. In fact, no matter who you are, it’s a good idea to watch with someone else.
“Viewing the film may raise complex feelings and emotions,” the Butterfly Foundation state. “Debriefing with someone you trust, can assist in working through your emotions, and identify whether you should seek additional support.”
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If you’d like to speak to someone about these issues you can call: Butterfly’s National Helpline on 1800 33 4673; Kids HelpLine on 1800 55 1800; Headspace on 1800 650 890.