QUOD ME NUTRIT ME DESTRUIT WHAT NOURISHES ME DESTROYS ME by Ilaria de Laurentiis and Raffaele Brunetti produced by B&BFilm duration ca. 70 min co-produced with Rai3 with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA programme recognised as of cultural interest by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities

For the first time, a centre for the treatment of eating disorders has opened its doors to allow observation of psychotherapy sessions. We record stories of the tragic attempt to dominate one's own body, stories of unease, disquiet, suffering and feelings of inadequacy, but also stories of hope. The film is shot entirely at the Centre for the Treatment of Eating Disorders in Rome. Authors' note of intent In the summer of 2006, we discover that our 16-year-old son is suffering from the eating disorder bulimia nervosa. That moment marks the start of a long course of therapy that involves us at a personal level. Our perspective changes radically as we learn about the nature of our son’s illness: our personal involvement alters our point of view from external observers to direct participants. It is only by chance, after two years of heart-rending searching, that we eventually come across the Centre for Eating Disorders in Rome. We embark on a series of individual and family therapy sessions. We get to know other parents, hear other people's stories, and this appreciation of shared yet different experiences becomes a fundamental point on the journey. It is not easy for families to be open about their own predicament. Often a sense of shame pervades. In some cases, it is difficult even to admit that what is happening is an illness. Today, 6 years on, we feel that we can, and indeed must, tell the inside story of people who live with this illness, focusing on the setbacks and the milestones that line the route. We will not apply any filters. Our experiences and personal involvement allow us to connect with stories and emotions that would otherwise have remained unseen. We can count on the support of the Parents Associations involved and of Dr Armando Cotugno, the Centre's director, who recognises that the project's goals and objectives are not only in line with those of the Centre, but also that the documentary will be valuable in raising awareness responsibly about a disease that affects an increasing number of adults and adolescents.

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Project description The authors have chosen to follow a number of patients in their course of treatment, observing the evolution of the disorder, the setbacks suffered and the milestones achieved in an illness that is hard to battle against. Access to the psychotherapy sessions provides a unique opportunity to shed light on a subject whose true nature is otherwise difficult to explore in depth. The project runs over the course of a year. We focus on the stories of the patients, and these form the principal axis of the narrative structure. At the heart of the documentary are the individual and family psychotherapy sessions. Most of the patients are female, but the number of male patients has been rising. Even though most are adolescents, recent years have seen an increase in the number of adult and child sufferers. The therapist stimulates discussion, helping patients to express themselves, to open up, to understand themselves and each other, even when it is painful to do so. The film contrasts verbal and nonverbal communication to construct a dramatic thread, and we discover what lies hidden behind gestures and reveal what words alone could never express. The camera records the stories, the confrontations, the feelings and the emotions at the very moment they reveal themselves to the person concerned, the moment at which they rise to the surface. We see people as they undergo change, suffer collapse, have their hopes renewed, help to heal others and receive healing themselves. We feel the profound pain, we see it as it emerges and reveals itself, or we sense it retreating into hiding. In some cases the patient is alone with the therapist, in others family members are also present. Tensions run high, following days of silence and communication failure in the four walls of home. Seemingly insurmountable barriers are slowly dismantled and dialogue reopens, tinged both with suffering and with hope. The external manifestation of the illness, founded on a distorted self-image and on one's relationship with food, shows its true roots. The film's authors, from their privileged viewpoint, record the words never said, the glances never exchanged. The film is shot entirely at is the Centre for the Treatment of Eating Disorders, located at the Comprensorio di Santa Maria della Pietà in Rome. The passage of time is marked by images of the changing seasons in the Centre's grounds.

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Director's notes It is only by observing how much is said or left unsaid during the therapy sessions, by noting gestures, looks and reactions, that we can understand the dynamics lying below the surface of this illness. The most effective way of addressing the subject is therefore a film that shows the world what happens at the therapy sessions. This decision requires an observational directing style, intervening as little as possible into what is happening in front of the lens. This allows us to delve into the individual stories, to address the issues without undue sentimentality or rhetorical devices, to reveal a reality that no commentary, interview or reconstruction could possibly sharpen further. The silences during the therapy sessions speak louder than words. The looks, gestures and reactions reveal deep emotions, internal conflicts, despair and hope. The cameraman's presence is very discreet, and with time becomes practically invisible. The decision to minimise the invasiveness of our presence determines the film's aesthetics: the documentary runs as if in real time. Reality is not represented but is rendered in all its raw truth. The film draws strength from this austere approach. This project relies inherently on the cooperation and collaboration of the medical team: the delicate nature of the subject matter means that the considerations of the doctors and medical staff working closely with us had to be incorporated into the work. Even during the writing of the film, we held numerous meetings with all the members of the team led by Dr Cotugno, the person in charge of the Centre for the Treatment of Eating Disorders. We gathered their views and opinions during this phase, deciding together on an approach that would take into proper account the needs and feelings of the patients and their families. Dr Cotugno has provided a letter of intent in which he expresses his support for the project, including the decisions made, the modalities selected, the goals and the objectives. The film has also received support from the European Commission under the MEDIA Programme and has been recognised as of cultural interest by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities. Italian broadcaster RAI3 will show the documentary as part of its Doc3 series. ConsultaNoi, the Italian confederation of Eating Disorder Associations, has aligned itself with the goals and objectives of the project and plans to distribute it through its network of affiliated associations.

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RAFFAELE BRUNETTI / WRITER - DIRECTOR Raffaele Brunetti is a producer and director of documentary films. Since 1988, he has been involved in the production of more than 100 documentaries in Italy and across the world. Films he has directed have been distributed in 160 countries. In recent years, documentaries he has co-produced with European broadcasters have been shown in cinemas and on TV as well at major festivals including IDFA, HOT DOCS, Full Frame and Festival dei Popoli. He has received numerous awards, including the Award for Creative Excellence at the US International Film Festival, the Golden Globe, the Ondas award for Best Documentary in 2009, the Jury Award at the Guanghzou festival and two major nominations (BANFF and Shanghai). He is a member of the Italian Foreign Press Association and sits on the board of the European Documentary Network (EDN). From 2005 to 2010, he was a member of the governing council of DOC/IT, the Italian Documentary Filmmakers Association, and has run Italian Doc Screenings, the Italian documentary showcase event. Filmography (selection): • Zero Waste (2013 – 70’ + 52’), for ZDF Arte (Germany/France), BOS (The Netherlands), SVT (Sweden), with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA Programme. • Mother India (2011 – 61’ + 52’), for RAI (Italy), Al Jazeera (UK), OHM (The Netherlands), YLE (Finland), with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA Programme. IDFA 2011, Festival dei Popoli 2011, IFFLA 2012. • The Other Revolution, Gorky and Lenin on Capri (2010 – 60’), for NDR Arte (Germany), YLE (Finland), SVT (Sweden), RSI (Switzerland), distributed on DVD by CINECITTA‘ LUCE. Special mention at the Bellaria Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Salerno International Cinema Festival. • Hair India (2008 – 75’+52’), for ARTE (France/Germany), YLE (Finland), RAI (Italy), AL JAZEERA ENGLISH, OHM (The Netherlands), ETB (Basque Country), with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA Programme. IDFA 2008, Festival dei Popoli 2008, Full Frame 2009, Hot Docs 2009. Winner of the Ondas Award and the Jury Prize at the Guanghzou Festival. • Che Guevara, the Body and the Legend (2007 – 52’), for ZDF (Germany), ARTE (France), the History Channel (Italy), SVT (Sweden), YLE (Finland), SBS (Australia), E RT (Greece), RTE (Ireland), LTV (Latvia), ETV (Estonia), VRT (Belgium), RTSI (Switzerland), with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA Programme. • Mitumba (2005 – 52’), for NDR Arte (Germany), RAI (Italy), YLE (Finland), PLANET (France), with the support of the European Commission's MEDIA Programme. Winner of the Golden Globe 2005. • War Secrets: Italy's Forgotten Invasion (2002 – 52’ min), for the National Geographic Channel. Winner of the Award for Creative Excellence at the US International Film Festival.

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ILARIA DE LAURENTIIS / WRITER - DIRECTOR - EDITOR After graduating in 1987 from the Centre for Experimental Cinematography in Rome, Ilaria de Laurentiis started her editing career in 1989. Her films and documentaries have been shown by RAI, TF1, National Geographic, NHK, YLE, SVT, Planete, Arte and others. She co-wrote, with Raffaele Brunetti, the documentary "Mitumba", broadcast in Italy, Finland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden. She worked as editor on Mario Martone's documentaries “Nella Napoli di Luca Giordano” and “Caravaggio, l’ultimo tempo”. From 1997 to 2002, she was in charge of the promotion of cinema channels such as Cine Cinema and Cine Classics on the Tele+ digital platform. She also spent many years as editor on trailers for the films of Marco Risi, Marco Bellocchio, Carlo Verdone, Giuliano Montaldo, Roberto Benigni and Pupi Avati, and was editor on Francesca Melandri's "Vera", winner of numerous festival awards and beneficiary of support from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities in 2009. Ilaria de Laurentiis brings considerable expertise and professional skills to many of the documentaries produced by B&BFilm and has contributed significantly to their success.

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