Welcome to the world of Cleanskins, an independent Australian documentary film about a group of unlikely bodybuilders full of blood, sweat and tears – and plenty of muscle. For years bodybuilders have lived in the shadows, dogged by a reputation for violence, drug abuse, and self-esteem problems. In the media, the sport and the people involved in it have been either glamorized or demonized. But the reality of contemporary bodybuilding is far removed from the extreme images that are commonly portrayed.
The new breed of Australian bodybuilders is challenging the stereotypes imposed upon them by a culture obsessed by fitness and body image, and yet one which refuses to see them as elite athletes in their own right. Men and women with everyday jobs, families to support and crises to deal with, who train without steroids or drugs – they are the “cleanskins”.
We follow a group of such individuals as they fight their personal battles and make sacrifices to chase glory in their chosen sport. They are not superheroes, they are not freaks. Just ordinary people doing extraordinary things – everyday folk who are going above and beyond the bounds of their “normal” existence.
In addition to the human story behind Australian bodybuilding, the film tracks the history of the sport in Australia and takes a look at its future directions, exploring the continuing controversy over the use of performance-enhancing drugs in bodybuilding competitions---and the scepticism athletes claiming to be drug free are faced with. Through interviews and personal accounts, we question the stereotypes and social stigma associated with the sport, contrasting these against the very human hopes and desires of the athletes themselves.