Dear Dr. Archer,
I thought you and your readers might be interested in learning about Emmy award-winning filmmaker Gayle Kirschenbaum's upcoming feature documentary that you might use for a story of your own. I believe it's a story that promises to heal many. Her story was just featured in Psychology Today, The Me In We.
As Gayle writes,
My Imperfect Nose is Perfectly Okay
A single woman, her mother and her nose create a dangerous love triangle
In the recently released short film MY NOSE, and to be a completed in-depth feature film MY NOSE: THE BIGGER VERSION.
Since Gayle was a small child, there was nothing her mother didn't think needed fixing. Her nose was too big, her hair too wild, her breasts too small. She spent years fighting to keep her imperfect, yet original, nose. This is a story about a woman's stance to love who she is, preserve her identity and share her story to help others.
Gayle is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker and TV producer whose films have premiered on HBO and Discovery. She has been featured widely in the media including The New York Times, Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal and NBC's Today Show.
We live in a world that keeps telling us we are not good enough the way we are. Many people have turned to plastic surgery to feel better about themselves. Some have done a complete makeover, like Heidi Montag. Many think fixing the outside will fix the inside. After, actress Jennifer Grey had a nose job, lost her identity and could not get a job.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number one plastic surgery is breast augmentation. The second is nose reshaping. That's where Gayle's story comes into play.
She grew up in a neighborhood on Long Island, NY in a time where the junior high school yearbook and the high school yearbook were before and after pictures for nose jobs.
Her mother's relentless campaign to get Gayle to have a nose job started soon after her 14th birthday when she noticed the bump on her nose began to grow. She fought to keep her original nose, refused silicone injections and stopped straightening her hair. She wanted to know, "What's wrong with being me?"
Gayle made a comedic award-winning short called MY NOSE about her mother's quest to get her to have a nose job. MY NOSE dares to ask the important question: If it ain't broke, should I fix it? Will changing my nose affect my relationship with my mother?
The film played worldwide, got rave reviews and unexpectedly launched Gayle into becoming an "accidental therapist," teaching others how to deal with a critical parent and transforming difficult relationships.
Due to the audience hunger for more, she decided it was time to tell her and her mom's story by going deeper and opening up her life for a more complex film. Gayle's mother agreed to allow cameras in, and they have been shooting for the last several years.
MY NOSE: THE BIGGER VERSION delves humorously, intimately and poignantly into the issues of low self-esteem, poor body image and the highly charged mother/daughter relationship. By the end of this film, you'll see that Gayle has learned to forgive her mother and what may be even more surprising that they are now best friends.
They say people learn by example. Gayle considers herself blessed that through her own life's challenges, she has been able to overcome and turn them around and forgive her mother. She now can help others through her films, seminars and writings.
We are looking to spread the word about the issues presented in this film. Any way you could help would be greatly appreciated. Gayle is available for interviews, or happy to write an article. She is represensted for her TV work at N.S. Bienstock. You can see Kirschenbaum Productions and My Nose: The Bigger Version.
Thank you so much, and I wish you all the best.
Melissa Marascia
Producer's Assistant
Kirschenbaum Productions
Dear Melissa,
I am more than happy to do my part. As you know, I stress to readers, writers, patients and anyone I come in contact with that, in order to be happy, you first must find happiness within yourself.
I truly appreciate you sharing this information with us. All the best,
Dr. Archer
