Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, September 25: A BRAVE HEART: THE LIZZIE VELASQUEZ STORY
Sara Hirsch Bordo’s portrait of a bullying victim turned activist debuted at SXSW earlier this year, where it took home an audience award. It has since gone on to screen at Traverse City, Newport Beach, Rhode Island, Lower East Side, and Bentonville, among others.
Called the “Most Ugly Woman in the World” in a cruel YouTube clip that went viral, Lizzie Velasquez, a young woman suffering from a genetic disorder so rare, it took 25 years to diagnose, fought back. Long on the receiving end of insults and gawking due to her unusual appearance, brought on by an inability to put on weight, Velasquez channelled her sadness and anger into a mission to combat bullying, becoming a self-assured motivational speaker who regularly travels around the world giving speeches to audiences of thousands. Blessed with a supportive family, who, while protective, clearly see the impact and import of her work, Velasquez takes on the cause of an anti-bullying bill making its way through Congress. Bordo wisely places much of her focus on Velasquez herself to tell her own inspirational story, clearly recognizing her subject’s poise and charisma.
what (not) to doc 