Swans Reflecting Elephants (2022)

What if you look at yourself in the mirror and you always see someone who looks so monstrously ugly, it almost seems inhuman. Director Niek Silvan was diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, the most severe form of a negative body image. Looking for answers to learn to live with himself, Niek goes in search of a young man he only saw on television once 17 years ago. At that time, this man named Jesse, openly talked about his Body Dysmorphic Disorder on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. How is he doing now and did he find a solution? What if the hoped-for answer is not enough? Niek tries to convince his mother of his quest through telephone conversations, but painful answers from his childhood float to the surface. An essayistic personal documentary about the quest for self-acceptance, where the feeling of contempt for the mirror is conveyed to the viewer through a cinematic experience. You are born with your own reflection and you are stuck with it for the rest of your life. The question is, however, is it possible to watch?