A 12-year-old girl has her first period in class. Her skirt is stained red. She is up next to present her final paper in front of all her peers. Will she find a way out of the 'uncomfortable' situation?
Starring ABBY MIZON, CLARA READ, TREVOR MURPHY & ILARIAN BUSHI
Writer & Director: GIULIA GANDINI
Producer: ABBY MIZON
DOP: GABI NORLAND
Editor: BEN MILLS
Music: STEFANO FASCE
MY TIME is one of those rare treats in indie short form cinema. It was long-listed for the Academy Awards in 2020, and won Best Short Film at Chicago International Children's FF, at NFFTY, BUFF Malmo FF, TweetFest FF and Shooting People's New Shoots Competition (Summer Round 2019).
We first became aware of it when director Giulia Gandini submitted it to The People’s Film Festival. It was an instant favourite of our judges and eventually was nominated for Best Picture.
Today is the first day MY TIME is being widely released online - #MenstrualHygieneDay. We’ve been in touch with Gandini while she’s been in preproduction for what is sure to be another masterpiece…
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO WRITE MY TIME?
An experience from middle school! A friend of mine was bullied for weeks because she stained her jeans when she got her period. I wanted to take a negative memory and turn it into an empowering narrative and statement about menstrual blood.
WHAT'S YOUR WRITING PROCESS?
I usually think about the idea for weeks (if not more) without writing a word, then write the first draft of the script all in one evening. My first drafts are usually very visual, with little dialogue, quite dry, but the process of writing them is very instinctive and emotional. I don't share the concept of the film with anyone before I've written the first draft (if I do I feel like the idea loses emotional power in a way). I then usually write 2/3 more drafts over a few days before presenting the script to anyone or asking for feedback. Getting too much feedback is quite confusing rather than helpful for me, so I tend to select just a few people I trust (not only filmmakers) to share their notes on the script.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE?
It was quite exciting. I've written scripts before, but this was the first one I approached with the intent of actually directing myself. So there was an additional layer of pressure (and I usually work well under pressure, it gives me adrenaline, drive and focus).
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR WORKING ON A SMALL BUDGET?
I believe the best creative decisions I made in relation to a limited budget were to keep it to one character, one location, one moment. I already knew when writing the script that I wanted a specific visual style requiring good lighting and a dolly, so I couldn't really afford to follow multiple characters over more than one day in different locations of the school. Budget shouldn't restrain your creativity, but it shouldn't ruin the creative outcome either, so it's good to prepare and find a middle way.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FILM'S BIGGEST SUCCESSES?
Getting long-listed for the Oscars 2020 was quite special. But also winning the Best Short Film award at NFFTY in Seattle and at Chicago International Children's Film Festival were exciting highlights!
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS?
Probably being on set. It's so magical to see what's been in your head for such a long time finally translated into real life. It's also the moment when I'm working with my actors the most, and I really love working with actors.
SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR QUARANTINE?
Subscribe to Mubi, they have incredible films that are not that easy to find! Watch Céline Sciamma's coming of age trilogy (Water Lilies, Tomboy, Girlhood). If you can't be bothered, Tiger King on Netflix is a pretty safe bet for entertainment.
Period products shouldn't be a luxury. But they are for so many women and girls right now. UN Women is working alongside the WHO to ensure all women and girls' voices are addressed in the COVID-19 response, including providing period products to women in quarantine centres, refuges and prisons that haven't been able to access these basic essentials during lockdown. You can play your part and donate here: unwomenuk.org/campaigns/covid-19
Just £15 can provide a week's worth of hygiene essentials and food for a woman and her children in quarantine. Follow UN Women UK on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to unite with us for change.
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