Bethann Hardison - former model, advocate, and founder of the modeling and management agency that bears her name - has long been a groundbreaker in the world of fashion. She has helped guide the careers of some of the most prominent models in recent times and through her decades of advocacy work has challenged and helped change common notions of beauty by consistently championing diversity in the fashion industry.

Collaboration: Statement by Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng

Invisible Beauty is first and foremost a collaboration between us. Through co-directing, we want to rethink the way we make films. The relationship between filmmaker and subject is often characterized by unequal access to power, privilege and authorship.

Who is allowed to tell a story? Who is allowed to control an image? Who has the privilege of self-representation? These questions have clear parallels with the questions raised by Bethann’s advocacy work. We wanted to put them at the core of our process. We worked together to make Bethann’s voice central to the telling of her story. Through active interrogation and intergenerational dialogue, we strived to explore more fully the existential nature of a life well lived.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices