Not Crying Because I’m On My Period: Oscar Winner 

'Period. End of Sentence.' bagged the Oscar for the Best Documentary Short at the 2019 Academy Awards which took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. In their acceptance speech, the producers of the movie including Melissa Berton and Rayka Zehtabchi, turned emotional.

In her speech, Rayka Zehtabchi began with, "I’m not crying because I’m on my period or anything. I can’t believe a film about menstruation won an Oscar!” further highlighting how the taboos around periods are a global issue.

Set in a rural village outside of Delhi in India, 'Period. End of Sentence.' was created by The Pad Project, an organization established by students at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles and focuses on the stigma of menstruation.

Melissa Berton who is a teacher at the school also served as a producer with Guneet Monga from India serving as an executive producer through Sikhya Entertainment banner (movies produced under the banner include Masaan and The Lunchbox).

The movie revolves around a group of women in Kathikera village near the town of Hapur who battle against the odds to set up a cost-effective pad making machine introduced by Arunachalam Muruganantham. Considered India's "Pad Man", Muruganantham, who makes an appearance in the movie, invented the machine realizing the troubles of his wife due to the lack of affordable sanitary pads for rural women.

Avery Siegel, Period’s executive producer, and former Oakwood High School student began the journey with her Ruby Schiff and Claire Sliney almost six years ago with simple fundraisers in their Los Angeles community. Following multiple trips to India with award-winning director Zehtabchi, they began to capture the journey of the women of Hapur.

The producers are elated that their efforts have helped women become more comfortable talking about their periods pointing towards a larger cultural shift and bring awareness to the once 'taboo' subject.

Also Read: Period, End Of Sentence Nominated For Oscars