Beauty of the Beast

Csonka, Yvette, Eszter and Noemi are middle-aged women who transform themselves into a sculpted mass of muscle. Their physique is both a temple and a tool – outer and inner strength manifested as one. Unlike previous documentaries about individuals who pump iron, Nemes avoids a kitsch portrait of a subculture. Instead, she is fascinated by these women’s lives out of the spotlight and beyond the gym, exploring the reasons that made them choose this singular and often punishing lifestyle. What emerges is a determination to face down stereotyping and ridicule as each dedicates themselves to achieving their dream.

Directed by Anna Nemes