Subjects of Desire

Subjects of Desire is a timely feature documentary that examines the cultural shift in North American beauty standards towards embracing (or as some feel – appropriating) Black aesthetics and features. From society’s new fixation on the ‘booty’, fuller lips, the dramatic rise of spray-tanned skin, ethnic hairstyles, and athletic bodies some people might argue that Black women are having a beauty moment. However, others however argue that traditionally Black features and attributes are in fact seen as more desirable when they are on White women rather than on Black Women. Whatever you believe, Subjects of Desire will explore the manifestations of this shift by examining the historical and popular cultural expression of Black and White beauty. Specifically, we will look at how this is embodied with real people in their daily lives. Weaving through past and present and told from the point of view of women actively engaged in this debate, Subjects of Desire is a culturally significant, thought-provoking documentary that ultimately deconstructs what we understand about race and the power behind the beauty. —Maya Bastian