‘Period. End of Sentence’ Is India’s Entry To The Oscars Shortlist

India has made its way into the 91st Oscars, this time by talking about the taboo subject of menstruation. The film titled ‘Period. End of Sentence’ got nominated in the Documentary Short Subject category.  The documentary touches upon an important topic in today’s India-  the stigma around menstruation. It delves into the lack of awareness in rural India about safety and hygiene, and is actually part of The Pad Project, that was initiated by the students of Oakwood School in LA and their teacher – Melissa Berton.

This is not just a win for India for being in the running for one of the most renowned and prestigious awards, but also for all those who have been working relentlessly behind-the-scenes to bring light to this subject that is a major health concern. The documentary’s producer announced the shortlist on her Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrgsFkNBJF4/

Earlier, India has seen movies like Mother India, Salaam Bombay and Lagaan, to name a few, getting nominated at the Oscars. This time, the choice, the genre speaks volumes about the kind of content the global and domestic audience is ready to consume and appreciate. No big stars, no glitzy promotions, this is everything we need to talk about.

The 26-minute documentary shows the escapades of two girls from a village in Uttar Pradesh as they fight their way into installing a pad vending machine in their village. Their struggles, physical and social is the central theme.

Kudos to the director, Rekha Zehtabchi for believing strongly enough in the cause and giving it a global platform.