Water Weight: Students Aim to Turn Struggles into Art

Two TU Dublin film and broadcasting students have joined forces to create a film centred around the struggles of eating disorders in young people. 

Their project is Water Weight, a final-year short film written and directed by Leah O’Riordan and produced by Meghan Duffy.

As they were casting their fim this month, I got to speak to Duffy and O’Riordan about what inspired them to dive deep into this topic and why they chose to collaborate on this promising project.

It started in a class pitching session a year or two ago when O’Riordan shared a new ten-page script which was backpocketed for a future assignment. Duffy was completely “enamoured with the story,” which explores the trials and tribulations those with eating disorders face daily whilst in recovery. Duffy was impressed with her “incredible script.”

“I approached her and said if the film ever got made in college, I would love to produce it,” Duffy says. “And if it never got made in college, I would help her make it as a side project because I loved it so much.”

“It is really not easy to write something that’s so compelling and sends such an important message, as well as having an interesting and cohesive story.”

Duffy felt drawn to the project, having struggled with disordered eating in the past herself. “She didn’t shy away from the ‘gross’ side of it,” Duffy added, “which added a factor of realism that people may not realise happens to people with eating disorders.” 

The touching story of Water Weight, which has raised almost a grand on its GoFundMe for production costs, follows a young girl named Joy who copes with the harsh realities of being an inpatient at a psychiatric hospital while in a mental and physical fight against disordered eating. Filled with hope and optimism, the story sends an ever-present message that it’s never too late to change.  

The short drama aims to be quite raw and unfiltered. By turning their personal, painful pasts into an art piece, the talented pair seek to “raise awareness for those who may know someone struggling with similar issues,” says the director. 

The duo’s objective is to depict the symptoms and behaviours of eating disorders so that “parents, guardians, and friends can recognise these harmful habits and pick up on them in order to try and get help,” Duffy says. 

Drawing from her own personal experience, O Riordan wrote the script following her recovery from extreme disordered eating in her youth. “This story hit close to home,” O’Riordan says. “I knew I could write an authentic story regarding this topic as I had to endure a lot of what Joy had to go through – so it’s really important to me to give this film my all.”

The message they hope the film will send is simple: recovery is scary but possible. “Eating disorders are not the friend you think they are. Because no matter how much control you think you have, it is always the one controlling you,” says Duffy. 

O’Riordan proudly adds that she is “living proof that full recovery is possible” as she aims to “push the notion that recovery begins with the conscious effort and is not necessarily something that just happens to a person”.

O’Riordan says she is grateful to those who have expressed their interest in taking part in the film. “So many people have sent in showreels and headshots. And many of them have reached out to say how much they can relate and connect to the topics of the film. Even at a conceptual pre-production stage, the support and love for our film is so lovely to see.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thanks to everyone who has supported us so far in this journey.” 

If you or someone you know is struggling with these issues and wishes to seek treatment or advice, please visit the National Eating Disorders Recovery Centre Ireland, call 087 7755996, or email enquiries@nedrc.ie.