Meet Cathleen: The star of Dove's debut documentary film

By Sarah Parsons | Published: 23-May-2017

Dove Real Beauty Productions' partnership with Shonda Rhimes materialises with launch of body positive short film featuring the Fat Girls Dance group

Dove has premiered its first film in partnership with acclaimed TV producer Shonda Rhimes.

The Unilever-owned brand created Real Beauty Productions in March, naming the Grey’s Anatomy creator as its first Creative Director.

Meet Cathleen, is a three minute documentary-style film that explores body positivity through consumer Cathleen Meredith’s performance group Fat Girls Dance.

“I don’t think we know how much we are told that there is something wrong with our bodies. I think beauty should be fearlessness. I think beauty should be resilience. I think beauty should be creativity,” said Meredith.

“I feel so lucky to have worked with a powerful role model like Shonda Rhimes on such an important project – one I hope will inspire every other woman out there to define beauty for themselves.”

Women and girls were encouraged to share personal stories about what beauty means to them via doverealbeauty.com.

“Dove and I have a shared passion in emphasising what’s real. The characters that I write about come from the fact that I wanted to see real women on TV — the real and messy stuff that makes us human,” said Rhimes.

“In working with Dove and Real Beauty Productions, we get to talk to real women and hear their own beauty stories.

"The idea that Cathleen defines beauty as self-love is a very mind blowing concept. I don’t think a lot of us, me included, define beauty in terms of self-love. And, to me, that is so empowering.”

Watch Meet Cathleen:

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