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Case Study
CultureFilm

My Blonde GF

Tackling the troubling issue of non-consensual deepfake pornography through powerful storytelling.
Helen’s world is turned upside down when she discovers that her face has been digitally edited on to images of women in sexually explicit and often violent situations. Helen shares the impact this deepfake pornography has had on her life and challenges a culture that treats women’s appearance and image as public property while the perpetrators remain anonymous.

How did OKRE support collaboration

My Blonde GF’s exploration of the issues surrounding deepfake technology aligns with OKRE’s mission to support projects that drive awareness around important new and lesser-known societal issues.

My Blonde GF is a powerful short film which tackles the troubling issue of non-consensual deepfake pornography, released in May 2023 on Guardian Documentaries.

The film tells the story of Helen Mort, a poet and writer who discovered that her social media images had been manipulated. They used an image of her head attached to a stranger’s body and were posted to a pornographic site by an anonymous user. The film seeks to reclaim Helen’s image and explores crucial themes of privacy, consent and the emotional impact of this new era of abuse.

 

Although we never see the images in question, we see the impact they have as we witness Helen viewing the manipulated videos herself. For me, this is more powerful than actually witnessing them firsthand, as we’re forced to truly reckon with the very human face affected by this heinous act.

Short of the Week
How collaboration improved authenticity

Lived Experience & Experts

  • OKRE played a crucial role in the development of My Blonde GF by fostering key collaborations between survivor Helen Mort and leading experts in psychology and law. The support and facilitation enabled the film’s production team to work closely with Dr Afrodifi Pina, a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, and Professor Clare McGlynn, a Professor of Law specialising in image-based sexual abuse.

Iterative Development Process

  • OKRE facilitated an extended development phase, allowing the filmmakers to continually refine their approach based on expert feedback. They were able to bridge the gaps between academia and film production, bringing everyone onto the same page and ensuring that Helen’s story was handled with the utmost care to avoid any risk of re-traumatisation during the process.

Feedback

  • Dr Pina highlighted the significance of OKRE’s involvement. Noting at the OKRE Summit 2024 that “as an academic, I had no experience with film whatsoever” and deeming the experience “amazing”.

OKRE Focus: My Blonde GF

The OKRE Summit 2024 panel discussion is available to watch back now

Read more
15 mins
SummitMental Health

3) OKRE Focus: My Blonde GF

+ 2
Rebecca Mark-LawsonRosie Morris + 2 more

Meet the Team

Rosie Morris

Filmmaker

Helen Mort

Writer and poet

Rebecca Mark-Lawson

Producer, Tyke Films

Dr Afroditi Pina

Reader in Forensic Psychology

Clare McGlynn

Professor of Law

Nominations

Grierson Awards 2024 Nominee

The film was nominated in the 'Best Short Documentary' category at The Grierson Awards 2024.

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