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“Can’t believe a film about menstruation won an Oscar!” - Rayka Zehtabchi, Director of Period: End of Sentence

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Khushboo Shah
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Period: End os Sentence

Period: End of Sentence, a documentary based on taboos around menstruation in India wins an Oscar for the Best Short Documentary 2019. 

The documentary was set in the village Hapur in Uttar Pradesh, India. Produced by Indian producer Guneet Monga who had previously produced widely acclaimed movies such as Lunchbox and Masaan, it is directed by award-winning director Rayka Zehtabchi.

The movie revolves around the subject of how menstruation is treated as taboo in India and highlights how hundreds of Indian women every year drop out of school due to their periods and lack of access to sanitary pads. It also drops attention to the unhygienic condition of women which leads to a number of health problems

The documentary takes us on a journey of how the women of Hapur village become financially independent by manufacturing and marketing pads under the brand name ‘FLY’. This revolution of fighting deep-rooted stigma takes place after a vending machine is installed in the village by the Pad Project.

Director Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton called out inequality in her Oscar speech as well when she accepted the award with the words “I’m not crying because I’m on my period or anything”

Pad Project was started by students of Oakwood High School girls Avery Siegel and her friends Ruby Schiff and Claire Sliney. They fundraised the money for a vending machine with conducting bake sales and yoga-thon. Together they brought a change in this small community of India by eliminating deep-seated taint on the word period

The speech ended on a high note with a sentence that empowered women all over “Period end of sentence not an end to a girl’s education”

Also read: #OscarNoms: Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress nominations of Oscars 2019

Twitterati did not hold back in celebrating this historic moment for India :

Kudos to these women for breaking all barriers and succeeding in their fight against the stigma around period, period.

FLY director of Period: End of Sentence Claire Sliney Best Short Documentary 2019 Avery Siegel akshay kumar Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Chopra #Oscar Period. End of sentence. India Vicky Kausha; Uttar Pradesh India taboos around menstruation in India taboos around menstruation Schiff Rayka Zehtabchi Oscar speech Rayka Zehtabchi Oscar Rayka Zehtabchi Pad Project Oakwood High School Melissa Berton Oscar speech Melissa Berton Masaan Lunchbox I can’t believe a film about menstruation won an Oscar Hapur Uttar Pradesh Hapur in India Guneet Monga