28-year-old British actress Lily Collins is starring in a new film titled "To The Bone" that depicts the reality of a young woman living with an eating disorder.
Just last week, Netflix debuted the trailer for the upcoming movie, and since then online spaces have been flooded with people discussing the potential harm "To The Bone" might cause to those who have Eating Disorders (EDs), explaining that it could be quite a triggering experience for folks with the illness and survivors alike.
The director speaks out
"To the Bone" has been the subject of many online arguments, in favor and against, since the day its trailer came out.
The movie deals with delicate topics, such as mental illness and anorexia, depicting them in a raw and realistic way. In fact, actress Lily Collins had to lose a significant and noticeable amount of weight to portray the part of the protagonist in an accurate way. Many of the people who have talked about the negative impact of the film explain that these type of images of severe weight loss can be triggering for others dealing with the same illness. While others feel the trailer "glamorizes" and misrepresents eating disorders.
So I've just found out about this new Netflix film #ToTheBone. It looks ridiculously triggering & seems to be glamorising eating disorders.
— jess (@jesskambitsis) June 21, 2017
Don't pretend that #ToTheBone & 13 reasons why are for people w MI. They commodify mental illness, make it worse, & trigger ppl w MI
— ☾Mexicool☾ (@raachbae) June 21, 2017
Meanwhile, other online users had more positive reactions to the trailer.
Some even defended it explaining that it was written by someone who understands the illness.
In light of the controversy, Marti Noxon, the film's writer and director, shared a statement about it via Twitter. In said declaration, she talked about how in order to write and make the movie she took information from her own life experience, seeing as she fought and survived against anorexia and bulimia.
She went on to say that the team involved in the making of "To the Bone" made an effort to portray the story in a responsible and truthful manner, going so far as speaking to other survivors of the illness and becoming involved with Project Heal (an organization that helps people with EDs pay for treatments). Just as well, she highlighted the fact that every person's "battle with EDs is unique".
She also explained that her main objective with this film is to start a dialog about these terrible illnesses, so that in the near future there can be more understanding for those who need help in fighting them.
#ToTheBone @netflix pic.twitter.com/ULlsJco3oV
— marti noxon (@martinoxon) June 23, 2017
Lily shares her experience
Just as Marti Noxon, Lily Collins has shared that she also suffered and survived a battle with an eating disorder. Last year in an interview with People, she went on to say that this movie "has the potential to make a difference and promote open conversation about a topic so often considered too taboo to discuss."
In another interview, this time with Vanity Fair, Collins confessed she was scared that playing this part could lead her to a relapse.
Thankfully, with the help of a doctor who closely followed her weight loss, and the support of Noxon, Lily finished the filming experience in a seemingly good place.
"To the Bone" premieres on Netflix on July 14th of the present year.
