The Wrestler
THE WRESTLER
A hand-crafted short film exposing the algorithm’s role in fueling childhood eating disorders
Every day, kids encounter nearly 3,000 algorithm-driven posts. For those at risk, personalized feeds don't just distort body image — they amplify the inner critic until it becomes impossible to ignore. The film follows a child wrestling with the compounding pressures of influencer culture, peer comparison, and societal expectations — and shows what it takes to fight back. Its closing truth: eating disorders are something people can wrestle with for life. Recovery isn't a finish line. It's showing up for yourself, again and again. Live premiere was in the Brooklyn Film Festival, directly followed by 3 Clio wins, including direction.
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A VISUAL LANGUAGE BUILT TO MAKE THE INVISIBLE UNDENIABLE
The Wrestler uses a 3D/2D hybrid animation system to visualize what clinicians and patients have struggled to articulate: the layered, compounding nature of an eating disorder in the social media age. 3D provides physical weight and fight realism. Hand-crafted 2D textures restore human fragility.
Each monster is an emotional metaphor. A faceless social media entity. A lettuce monster for daily obsessions. A final amalgamated female silhouette that reveals the true opponent: herself.