About Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie is a movie released in 2018. It is a thought-provoking documentary that offers an intimate view of the inner workings of one of the world's most recognizable brands, Barbie, in its biggest shakeup in its 60-year history. The film is a fascinating examination of gender, evolution, and cultural relevance, depicted through the lens of an iconic plastic doll.

Making / Production

The movie was directed by Andrea Nevins and produced by Nevins and Cristan Crocker. It was released by HuLu and had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 19, 2018. The film features interviews with Barbie fans, critics, and designers who have taken on the task of reshaping Barbie for the modern age.

Actors

• Andrea Nevins: She is the director and one of the producers. She has adeptly taken on the complex task of examining Barbie's impact on society.
• Gloria Steinem: An activist featured in the documentary, giving credible insights on how Barbie has been both beneficial and detrimental in terms of gender representation.
• Peggy Orenstein: A writer and a critic of Barbie. She discusses Barbie's often controversial body proportions and their impact on young girls.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The title "Tiny Shoulders" refers to the heavy burden that Barbie, as a doll, bears in terms of societal expectations and ideals of female beauty.
• Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie is the first documentary to be granted full access to the Barbie headquarters.

Awards

The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Nashville Film Festival in 2018.

Quotes

• “Every little girl has an emotional relationship with Barbie.” – Andrea Nevins
• "The doll is never just a toy, it has meaning beyond ourselves.” - Peggy Orenstein

• The background music and sound design in the documentary was created by Peitor Angell. He effectively uses sounds to highlight the themes and emotions in the film.