Spotlighting Dr. Ida Rolf’s Overlooked Legacy and the Origins of Structural Integration – Decades Before Fascia Became a Global Research Focal Point
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, January 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Now available on major streaming platforms, Random Media proudly announces the debut of IDA ROLF – MOTHER OF FASCIA, a feature-length biographical documentary showcasing the groundbreaking work and extraordinary life of Ida Rolf, Ph.D. (1896–1979). The award-winning feature examines Rolf’s lifelong quest to understand the role of the body’s connective tissue—fascia—in human uprightness and well-being, and her development of Structural Integration, a foundational modality in modern bodywork and movement education widely known to the public as “rolfing.”
Fascia is the intricate connective tissue that supports and surrounds every structure in the human body. It has become a major focus of contemporary medical and scientific research. Yet the film highlights Rolf’s pioneering recognition of fascia’s vital role more than 50 years ago—long before advanced imaging technologies came into common use. Her story serves both to correct the historical record and to inspire those devoted to vocation, discovery, and human potential.
LOGLINE: A pioneering biographical documentary on Dr. Ida Rolf’s discovery of fascia’s role in health and alignment.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBNyKp7qLO4 (Embeddable)
(for download) https://vimeo.com/1122922333/e6657b091d?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci
“Over the last 30 years, fascia went has gone from something barely discussed to a major focus of scientific research,” said director/producer Aleš Urbanczik. “Yet Ida Rolf’s pioneering role—identifying its significance more than 50 years ago—is rarely acknowledged. This film aims to help set the record straight.”
SYNOPSIS
The importance of fascia, the connective tissue that supports the body, was identified by Dr. Ida Rolf over 50 years ago, well before modern imaging tools were available. Her pioneering work revealed the crucial role of fascia in maintaining health and promoting alignment. The fascinating documentary “Ida Rolf – Mother of Fascia” celebrates her life, challenges, and groundbreaking contributions, which are now central to fascia research and therapy.
RECONSTRUCTING A LIFE WITH LIMITED EARLY VISUAL RECORD
Creating a biographical film about someone for whom little visual material exists from early life posed a significant creative challenge. Urbanczik and his team spent more than two years researching archives and primary sources, reconstructing Rolf’s life and intellectual development through interviews, documents, and historical materials. The film draws from original interview text to craft a voiceover approach that allows Rolf to, in effect, tell her own story—anchored by her concept of “Find Your Line.”
IDA ROLF – MOTHER OF FASCIA also situates Rolf within a wide intellectual and cultural context, referencing influences spanning science, philosophy, psychology, movement, and yoga—including Nobel laureates Peter Debye and Erwin Schrödinger, philosophers Alfred Korzybski, John Godolphin Bennett and Gaston Bachelard, movement pioneers Pierre Bernard, Moshe Feldenkrais and Amy Cochran, and psychologists Wilhelm Reich and Fritz Perls—as her work evolves into a lasting framework for structural and somatic inquiry.
Positioned at the intersection of biography and ideas, Ida Rolf – Mother of Fascia will resonate with audiences drawn to documentaries exploring modern modalities of mind–body healing and the human potential movement—evoking thematic echoes of films such as Supernature: Esalen and the Human Potential, Heal, and Matter of Heart.
FESTIVAL RECOGNITION AND COMMUNITY ENDORSEMENTS
The film has earned extensive recognition on the festival circuit (including wins and selections), and features commentary from contemporary fascia researchers, psychologists, movement educators, and spiritual practitioners.
Selected endorsements include:
• “What a great job! So rich in restrained detail, like all good poetry. Although I knew the outline, I learned a lot.”
— Tom Myers – International best-selling author
• “This film is a wonderful and monumental work. It contains a wealth of biographical detail that has never been presented as one coherent story before, including Dr. Rolf’s personal, professional, and intellectual trajectories. It is a great service and will stand as a key resource far into the future.”
— Eric Emil Jacobson, Ph.D. – Lecturer on social medicine at Harvard University
• “Magnificent – a gift to us, to Ida Rolf’s legacy, and to the world.”
— Mary Bond – Best-selling author and movement expert
• “A must-see for any Rolfer® or practitioner of Structural Integration. Very compelling storytelling – brilliantly organized. Anyone interested in healing theories or modalities of any kind will be absolutely fascinated by this very warm portrayal of Dr. Rolf. I imagine that very few people know anything to this depth about her unique and brilliant life.”
— Briah Anson – Advanced Structural Integration practitioner (Rolfing®, Rolfer® are trademarks of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO, USA)
RELEASE DETAILS
IDA ROLF – MOTHER OF FASCIA is a documentary with a biographical focus. Produced in Switzerland in 2024, the film runs 1 hour and 38 minutes. Audio is in English, with subtitles in Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. The film is presented in Color and B/W and delivered in QuickTime format (16:9, 25 fps) with stereo audio. The film is not rated; it is generally suitable for all-ages viewing (best-estimate guidance).
CREDITS
Ida Rolf – Mother of Fascia is written, directed, and produced by Aleš Urbanczik (Copyright © 2025 Aleš Urbanczik). Cinematography and editing are by Grzegorz Oleksa and Vrubl Creative. The film’s original music is composed by Mirjam Skal, with vocals by Helena Claesson. Kari Wishingrad provides the voice of Ida Rolf, and Urbanczik also serves as the film’s narrator. Audio recordings were captured at Elewa Studios and Jakob Eisenbach Studio, with audio post-production by Jakob Eisenbach. The archival producer is Elizabeth Alice Gray, and the official movie poster artwork is by Cornelia Studer.
The documentary features interviews and commentary from best-selling author and movement expert Mary Bond; best-selling author and medicine woman Rosalyn L. Bruyere; best-selling author and astrologer Diane Clarke; Structural Integration instructors and longtime teachers David Davis, Neal Powers, and Gael Rosewood (each with decades of experience); Jean-Pierre Demmerle, Ida Rolf’s grandson; Don Hanlon Johnson, Ph.D., a longtime professor of Integral and Transpersonal Psychology; and Dr. Robert Schleip, Director of the Fascia Research Group at the University of Ulm, among others.
OFFICIAL LINKS, TRAILER, SCREENER AND ASSETS
Distributor: https://randommedia.com/
Official film site: https://motheroffascia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motheroffascia/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33254981
https://randommedia.com/index.php/film/ida-rolf-mother-of-fascia-1-20-2026/
Press/Review screeners are available upon request.
A Selection of Stills from the film: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/clug9d0qjyzwjjxdvthic/AIkzj74kCXf7ru0a3_DYgwA?rlkey=0njwqorz3blxa8iqvq0vduyuz&st=nz8run6n&dl=0
Rick Rhoades
High Roads Media & Brand
RickRhoades@HighRoadsPR.com
Official Trailer
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