The short film is funny, endearing and moving in equal measure. A teenaged girl gets her first period. While her mother, a gynaecologist, is at work, the only other adult at home is her father. His unpreparedness, but willingness to help, the girl's initial inability to understand what's going on and the mother's successful attempts of normalising menstruation - all fit in the narrative most smoothly. There is a little coming-of-age present hidden away by her mother at home that helps her get past it all, and finally manage to smile. The father, after educating himself using the good, old internet, is also ready with a hot water bottle and a chocolate dessert. In a country like India, where a majority of mothers consider periods 'dirty' and fathers choose to remain unaware, Her First Time carries a relevant message - to accept menstruation as a normal, biological process.

Her First Time | Short Film of the Day

The narrative, carried forth powerfully by Girish Kulkarni, is about a conversation between a father and his daughter. The walk back from her school is captured most effortlessly in mostly a single take (barring the few cuts towards the end). The chemistry between Kulkarni and Gauri Sudarshan Deshpande is an endearing one as the father attempts to engage his daughter in a conversation. With other concerns on her mind she, on the other hand, is edgy and distanced. The film talks about an important social issue, and does it in a nuanced manner, without spelling anything out. What transpires between the girl and her father regarding the problem is confined to whispers the viewer is not privy to. Further, the film is a beautiful comment on parenting and single fathers who are bringing up their daughters in a world that attempts to restrict the latter at every stage of their life.

Arre Baba | Short Film of the Day

In a parallel universe where men and young boys menstruated, would we change the manner in which we look at it? Would period blood still be associated with impurity, dirt and something to be avoided? Or would we simply pat on the back on a young boy, bleeding for the first time, telling him it's a normal, biological process and we should let nature take its course? The short film raises the same questions by delineating a world where when little boys bleed, grown men tell them it's alright. It also draws attention to several concerns pertaining to menstruation that include sanitary waste disposal, its impact on the environment and the role of teachers in easing the experience for school children. Above all, it reminds the viewer, that in a country where over 80 percent women use potentially unsafe and unhygienic alternatives for sanitary pads, it truly is time to end the stigma around menstruation.

First Period | Short Film of the Day

The film establishes its messaging in the title itself and foregrounds the idea of oppressive cycles of misogyny that are passed down from one generation to another simply because no one breaks the silence. The narrative deals with the several dehumanizing practices around menstruation, and how the stigma not only places an unnecessary burden on women and girls but also endangers their health. 
It explores all of this by way of a household in small-town India where the grandmother is the biggest enforcer of patriarchy, being openly sexist and misogynistic in her treatment of her two grandchildren. Alongside asserting that sometimes women are the biggest upholders of patriarchy, 'Silent Cycle' also presents the far-too-common binary of a household that worships a goddess but treats its women with immense disrespect. This is portrayed by way of notable performances and a straightforward narrative that ropes in sentimentalism and direct communication of all of these ideas.

Silent Cycle | Spotlight

Living in a primarily male-dominated society with rigid and pre-defined gender norms, women’s reproductive health issues are often neglected or treated with indignity. Addressing the same concerns, 'Right Education', in a short span of less than thirty seconds, presents us with a narrative sensitising the general public about a natural, bodily function – menstruation. 
In a multi-purpose convenience store, a young girl is struggling to grab hold of the sanitary pads kept in the top-most shelf when a man offers help, thereby, breaking generations of stigma in a fleeting moment of kindness. The short video shares a resounding message of educating society about menstruation, in the process, chipping at the taboo, and the deeply questionable and problematic notions surrounding it.

Right Education | Short Film of the Day

Menstruation and the taboo around it, especially in Indian society, is a much discussed topic in contemporary times. Consequently, art too attempts to engage with it often, and this short film is one such endeavour. The story is about a family making a trip to a nearby temple with all four members ready with a wish each to ask for. The narrative attempts to contribute to the conversation in a well-intentioned manner. Its method of choice for the same is simple and employs easily understood characters to communicate the message. Without overtly spelling out anything, it leaves the viewer with a reminder of the significance of the female body in the Indian culture, and the need to respect and understand it.

Spruha | Short Film Nominee

Menstruation, a perfectly normal biological process, is seen as something completely far from that in several parts of society. Cycles is an attempt to look at one such small pocket of India. The narrative follows the struggles of a young girl who has just hit puberty. While earlier she was allowed to step out of the house with her friends, now she is checked at every step by women themselves. As she watches the same set of people glorify a pregnant woman and reject a menstruating girl, she is forced to accept the limitations that always accompany a woman in a patriarchal society.

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