We really don't know enough about the risks of breast implants, much less breast cancer. That was the conclusion yesterday (Saturday, Oct. 12), here at The Leonardo as the Salt Lake Film Center hosted two films dealing with women's health, specifically breast cancer and breast implantation. The films were screened in our third-floor auditorium as part of the Film Center's ongoing HEALTH SERIES during BODY WORLDS 3.

The first film, Dear Taluna, documents a woman who learns she has breast cancer shortly after giving birth to a new child. She and her family and friends help her cope as she undergoes treatment and eventually has a part of her left breast removed. The second film was a documentary called Absolutely Safe, which deals with the troubling breast implant industry in America. This film showed that while silicon breast implants, which after many years proved to be flawed and dangerous for women's health, are still being used, (mostly because some doctors feel they hold a better shape than saline implants). Even still, silicon is still used to encase most saline implants today. With Saline vs. Silicon as the discussion, Absolutely Safe showed two surgeries - one woman receiving breast implants and another woman having them removed. When the doctor who removed the silicon implants removed them with his hand, he vividly showed how both her implants had ruptured, and were then nothing more than a yellowish, gelatin goop. The film illustrated that despite obvious and serious health risks to women who get implants, the 2 billion dollar breast implant industry thrives. Moreover the FDA hasn't seriously addressed the issue since 2005, and no long term studies have really been done.

These films triggered a discussion with the audience afterward lead by Jennifer Jordan of the Salt Lake Film Center and Dr. Villja Avizonis of the University of Utah. If you've never seen these films, I highly recommend them to you.

Next week The Film Center will be screening another film on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. called "Two Angry Moms," about school food. Also on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. the Film Center will show "Frozen Angels," about the future of scientifically created humans.