‘Womanhood’: Bhopal students’ documentary makes it to Natl film fest

Bhopal: A documentary ‘Womanhood’ focusing on menstrual health, hygiene and sanitation has been selected for the screening at the 8th National Science Film Festival to be held in Guwahati.

The three-day fest beginning from February 21 will showcase the documentary produced by a group of five female students of Makhanlal Chaturvedi University for Journalism and Mass Communication . ‘Womanhood’, over 11-minute documentary has been selected under group C (student category) and sub-group science fiction.

The film focuses on menstrual health and it aims to bring awareness among women and girls about the importance of the maintaining hygiene during the menstrual cycle. The documentary was also released on the Made in Media you tube channel on January 13. The short film was shot at MP Nagar, Bittan Market and Trilanga market area of Bhopal and also few scenes were filmed at Baccha village of Betul district.

The enterprising girls behind the film include its director Sweta Dutta, while the credit for idea, conception, production of the film goes to Upasna Verma. Its casts include Rubby Verma, Etwanti Kumre and Anguri Dhakre. During the making of the documentary the students met the medical experts including gynecologists Dr Meenakshi Verma, Dr Preeti Verma. They also held discussion with urban and rural girls and women and incorporated their views and opinion in the movie.

The director, Sweta Dutta, a student of Electronic Media department, was shocked to know that still women and girls were using clothes during their menstrual cycle and risking their health. It was then we decided to make a documentary to make women and girls aware about the menstrual health and sanitation, she informed.

The mobile and internet penetrated deep inside our society cutting the classes differences of class, so we decided to release it on social media platforms and popular platforms like YouTube, added Sweta.