An India-based film on menstruation, Period. End Of A Sentence has won an Oscar in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category at the 91st Academy Awards. The short film is directed by Iranian-American director, Rayka Zehtabchi and co-produced by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. PEOS is based on the topic of the deep stigma associated with menstruation and delves upon the work of real-life Pad Man, Arunachalam Muruganantham. Like most of us, the producer was elated with the big win.
Guneet said:
Thank you to the Academy for the highest honour and for recognising the efforts of the young girls from Oakwood school in LA to Kathikera in UP in helping us shatter the glass ceiling. Periods are normal and in no way do they stop us from achieving anything. This has been more than 10 years of work of Action India run by Gauri Chaudhary on educating reproductive rights on the ground in many villages. Feminist Majority Movement and Girls learn International have been pushing this cause in US. Every girl in India or anywhere around the world needs to know this and hear this loud and clear. Period is an end of a sentence but not a girl’s education.
She also added:
I am honoured and absolutely humbled to partner with Melissa and Rayka in making our short documentary happen. Mandakini Kakar from Sikhya was on the floor working with the film and is the voice of the film too. And thank you Stacey Sher and Lisa Taback for supporting this massive dream. And thank you NETFLIX truly putting us on the MAP!
She concluded:
Here is to more girl power… I really want every girl to know that each one of them is a goddess. Now, that we have an Oscar, Let’s go change the world.
The director, Rayka in her acceptance speech, said, “I’m not crying because I’m on my period or anything. I can’t believe a film on menstruation won an Oscar.”
We congratulate the team of Period. End Of A Sentence on the big win. You’ve made us all proud!