This Hilarious Feminist Short Film Takes On The Patriarchy, Pervy Bosses & Period Stigma

If you’ve ever wondered why more people are uncomfortable with the talk of menstruation than they are tackling sexual harassment in the workplace, then this short film is for you! ‘Period Piece’ is a new project created by a group of filmmaking students in London who want to shed light on certain types of male microaggressions.

This female-focused dark comedy centers around main character Jessie, who works in a Jack The Ripper-themed pub in Whitechapel. Worn down by the constant sexual harassment she must endure, she decides to put on an evening of pro-feminist performance art, confronting her harassers, her evasive menstruation, and the patriarchy.

Before she can stage anything, she’ll have to tackle her arch-nemesis, ‘French bulldog guy’, her subtly lecherous boss, her annoyingly loud sort-of boyfriend, her evasive menstruation, and ultimately the patriarchy that emboldens toxic masculinity.

Unusually, the crew is formed of primarily female Heads of Departments, addressing the critical gender imbalance in filmmaking. The team are in the midst of a ​Kickstarter campaign​ to raise funds for their short film. The funds will not only be used to finance the film, but help to create opportunities for future female filmmakers in the industry, and inspire women to embrace themselves for who they truly are.

In most films, women are portrayed through the eyes of a male, where the male gaze sees the female form as equally attractive and repulsive. This female driven project aspires to see more females on film inhabiting their full femininity and being gross and funny. Our whole lives female periods have been portrayed on screen primarily in the form of blue liquid – encouraging the notion that women’s bodies are unnatural and secret. This is a story about harassment that inspires and empowers the female protagonist. It ends on a note that subverts the dynamic of harassment.

These filmmakers are taking their skills beyond the college-level film and creating an industry-standard project that speaks to the current climate we are living in. With the groundswell of conversations happening about sexual harassment thanks in large part to the #MeToo movement, and the wave of menstrual stigma campaigns we have seen taking place around the world, disrupting “comfortable” public spaces in some cases, a film like this is very culturally relevant.

We need to see more of the female gaze on screen and behind the camera, tackling issues with nuance and complexity rather than binaries. Humor has always been a go-to tool for many artists who want to add to social commentary, and the filmmakers behind ‘Period Piece’ want audiences to be entertained as well as informed.

We’re all about supporting filmmakers and creatives who want to change the status quo using media and entertainment. Be sure to support the ‘Period Piece’ Kickstarter campaign while it is running and follow their progress as they finish production and work toward distribution and a release. Every donation made is just one small part of helping to “F The Patriarchy!”. Watch the promo for ‘Period Piece’ below:

 

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