PERIODICAL, Director Lina Lyte Piloplyte and Executive Producer Amanda Spain’s new feature documentary from XTR and MSNBC Films, tells the unexpected story of the human body by exploring the marvel and mystery of the menstrual cycle, from first period to last. But this is not your middle school sex-ed class. Bringing you stories from soccer champion Megan Rapinoe who reveals how members of the U.S. Soccer team track their cycles when training for the Women’s World Cup (which they won), to scientists who are discovering the power and possibilities of stem cells found in period blood, to young activists flipping the bill on period tax one state at a time, we uncover the shocking truths, challenge taboos, and celebrate the untapped potential of this special nutrient-dense blood. Through innovative mixed media storytelling, “Periodical” is for everyone who wants to know more about the menstrual cycle, and especially for those who don’t. In our era of social media-empowered feminism, after centuries of societal-enforced stigma, menstruation has finally begun to bleed out into the mainstream. We’re finally using red liquid instead of blue in period product ads, seeing beauty influencers use their period blood for facials on social media, and even the most daring period scenes are being depicted on tv — but we still know alarmingly little when it comes to menstruation. Director Lina Lyte Plioplyte and Executive Producer Amanda Spain join us to talk about the long over-do recognition that menstruation, should never be a reason for shame, discrimination or become a barrier to a full life.
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For more go to: happyperiod.org
Bloody. Beautiful. Normal. “Periodical” airs Sunday, Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. ET on MSNBC and is streaming on Peacock.
Periodical at the Los Feliz 3 – October 14, 15, & 18
About the filmmaker – Lina Lyte Plioplyte’s passion for moving images started while studying journalism in Lithuania and later at the University of Colorado Boulder. The best film school has been New York city, where Lina established herself in 2008 making films for NYLON magazine and fashion brands. For the past 10 years, Lina has been working as a freelance director & cinematographer, making numerous documentaries, commercials, travel content and short films that have been shown on MTV, PBS, Venice Biennale, and various film festivals, including Hot Docs, MIFF and IDFA. Lina’s directorial debut was Advanced Style, a feature documentary about stylishly eternal women of the certain age, currently streaming on Amazon, after a successful run on Netflix. Her second feature Periodical, a feature documentary about the science, mystery and politics of menstrual cycle, will air on MSNBC and Peacock. Lina’s cinematography, acknowledged with an Emmy, champions the natural light and intimacy with those she films. Her goal as a storyteller is to bring more balance into the world and to remember the mystery and awe. Understanding both camera and the story makes Lina a skillful collaborator in crafting documentaries. She believes in integral filmmaking, by hiring women and minorities, mentoring young filmmakers, and making her film sets plastic-free. Lina Lyte Plioplyte is an Emmy, Clio and a Silver Lion winning director/Director of Photography.
About the filmmaker – Executive Producer Amanda Spain recently joined MSNBC Films as the Vice President of Longform Acquisitions. Revitalized under MSNBC President Rashida Jones and Amanda Spain, MSNBC Films, distributes a slate of dynamic documentaries, including Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11 which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, Civil War, Four Seasons Total Documentary, award-winning In the Dark of the Valley, and Paper & Glue a project by acclaimed French artist JR. Before joining MSNBC Films she was the Director of Non-Fiction for Blumhouse Television. Other recent credits – Executive Producer Pray Away, Exposure and In the Dark of the Valley, Producer – Television Event, On the Divide, After Antarctica, and Krimes. In addition to her most recent credits, Amanda produced the audience favorite and award-winning documentary Bathtubs Over Broadway, which was nabbed by Focus Features, as well as a number of films, shorts, and series for numerous outlets including Netflix, ESPN, A&E, PBS, MTV, Discovery, and the Sundance Channel. She was a 2016-2017 Sundance Producing Fellow and is a current member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA), the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), and the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA).
SOCIAL MEDIA
facebook.com/wearehappyperiod
twitter.com/happyperiodorg
instagram.com/periodicalmovie
instagram.com/wearehappyperiod/
instagram.com/amanda_j_spain
instagram.com/lina_lyte
instagram.com/rashidajones
“Whether you feel pretty in the know or that you have some holes in your knowledge, this is a must-see film that answers questions you may not have realized you needed to ask.” – Sarah Gopaul, Digital Journal
“Covers a lot of ground and can feel overwhelming, but there’s never been another documentary that examines all things period-related as well as (or as entertaining) as this.” – Louisa Moore, Screen Zealots
“Destigmatizing and providing a historical context allows Periodical to serve several masters, both as entertainment and as a genuine teaching tool.” – Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex
“While women’s rights are being rolled back and an active campaign exists to deny women agency over their bodies, this documentary about how women’s bodies have been perceived, persecuted, legislated, and shamed over the years is timely and vital.” – Stephanie Malone, Morbidly Beautiful