Latino Film Festival / Cucalorus Film Festival 2019 – A Period Piece
Cheered on by her best friend, a teen confronts her greatest fear - tampons.
Interview with Writer/Director/Editor Sylvia Ray
Watch A Period Piece here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
A Period Piece was originally a small portion of a short story that I wrote about young women growing up in a small town. There was something very empowering that screamed out in the tampon scene and I soon became obsessed with making it into a short film.
After moving forward with a script and getting producers (Joanna Ke and Lowam Eyasu) attached, I knew I wanted to cast diverse faces that could fit in my world. Selena Castro and Emily Trujillo were friends in real life with loads of chemistry. Together they brought more subtext to the themes of female friendship and women empowerment to the screen.
Now, with A Period Piece, my focus is to break down the taboo surrounding menstruation while highlighting my 100% LatinX cast who all deserve to be stars on the big screen!
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you are a woman, my hope is that you laugh and remember fondly about your first time using a tampon (or pad). I hope to be able to connect women with this universally shared experience and to promote lifting each other up.
If you are a man, I hope this film unveils some of the fear and stigma behind using a tampon. It can be really scary for young women. I hope men can walk away with more empathy towards women regarding this topic!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I personally have had to guide a few of my friends who were extremely nervous to use a tampon. I also felt it was personal to showcase women of color without having the major themes be about their "otherness". We also filmed in the same trailer park and pool where I spent a lot of my time as a young woman. By paying attention to the personal details I think it was helpful in finding the authenticity of the themes of friendship and female empowerment.
Since making the film, many people from all walks of life have shared with me their own personal stories about tampons. Even mothers and fathers have approached me saying that their daughters are similar ages and are going through something similar. I think as a society we forget how universal menstrual health is.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It was originally a little bit longer but I ended up cutting away things that didn't serve our main character Elena and the themes. It was also called A Period Piece because we would have originally liked to make the era late 90's early 00s but the lack of resources didn't allow for that to really come across. I've learned that you have to make the most out of what you have and just continue putting one foot in front of the other.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I love watching the film with a live audience. Every audience is different but the film always gets laughs at the "Pretend like you're a slut!" line. I also hear "awww" at the very end which always makes me smile. People have expressed that they love my actors, the desert colors and environment.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I always get surprised that people like the color themes because coloring was challenging in the post process. Overall people enjoy tans and browns and washed-out look of the desert.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I have several projects that I'm currently developing, many of which have the same vibe or tone as A Period Piece. If people are drawn to this film I hope they would follow and support my actors, my crew, and myself on our journeys as we try to develop more content!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
It would be great to find a home for A Period Piece once we are ready to premiere online. I would also love to screen A Period Piece at more festivals!
I am embarking to make my first feature film called Who the Hell is Rich, which was written by my creative partner Lowam Eyasu. We could use all the support we can get!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
A Period Piece seems to be a feel-good film. I want as many people as possible to watch and come out of it smiling! I would also love for it to start conversations about menstruation. The more we talk about it the less taboo it is!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What was it like the first time you used a tampon?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
With Lowam Eyasu and Jesse Wine, we plan to shoot our first feature film, Who the Hell is Rich, in 2020.
Interview: November 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
A Period Piece
Cheered on by her best friend, a teen confronts her greatest fear - tampons.
Length: 5:01
Director: Sylvia Ray
Producer: Joanna Ke
Writer: Sylvia Ray
About the writer, director and producer:
An award-winning director and writer, SYLVIA RAY has been selected for Hola Mexico Film Festival’s Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today program. She was awarded Best Female Director at the Lonely Seal Film Fest for her short film A Period Piece. She focuses on telling grounded stories with diverse female leads and her films have appeared in festivals across the world and is an active member of the selective Women in Film’s Insight group and Alliance of Women Directors’ InSalon group. She brings a unique perspective as a Korean/Mexican-American woman.
JOANNA KE produces and writes under her Saint Joan Productions banner, championing women and diversity in front of and behind the camera. She wrote, produced, and stars in fantasy action Protectress, with 11 awards, including Best Performance, Best Fantasy, Best Action, and Inspiring Woman in Film for Joanna. Joanna is a trained sword fighter. She is a proud member of the non-profit The Chimaera Project, empowering women behind the camera. Joanna is in development of several projects with female leads, including the Protectress feature.
Key cast: Selena Castro (Elena), Emily Trujillo (Britney), Joanna Ke (producer), Lowam Eyasu (Executive Producer), Kalan Ray (Executive Producer), Jesse Wine (Director of Photography), Simon Cho (Gaffer), Stephanie McNeal (1st Assistant Camera), Lisa Tom (Key Grip), Arian Cruz (Barstow Boy 1, Grip), Romeo Benavidez (Barstow Boy 2), Oliver Perkov (Sound), Megan Lauchner (Hair and Make up), Maggie Jasson (Production Assistant), Devin Vargas (BTS Camera), April Tucker (post sound design/mixing)
Looking for: buyers, film festival directors, journalists, distributors, sales agents, producers
Facebook: Sylvia Ray
Twitter: @sylbialin
Instagram: @sylbialin
Hashtags used: #womeninfilm #womenwhowrite #womenwhoproduce #femaledirectors #makeshitwithyourfriends #vktrycreative #indiefilmmakers #writersofinstagram #filmmakerslife #super8 #latinxscreate #chicanadirector #supportindiefilm #woccreatives #womenofcolor #thisiswhatadirectorlookslik #femalefilmmakerfriday #hustle #womenwhohustle #menstrualhealth #femaleempowerment #womeninmedia #inclusion #inclusionmatters #diversity #diversestories #barstow #latinaactress
Website: www.vktry.com
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: VKTRY Creative
Funders: Self-Funded by the artists behind VKTRY Creative (Sylvia Ray, Kalan Ray, Lowam Eyasu)
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Official Latino Film Festival at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert. November 1st at Noon; Reading Film Festival at the The GoggleWorks Boscov Theater in Reading, PA. November 2nd at 1pm; Cucalorus Film Festival in Downtown Wilmington NC. Friday November 15th at Thalian Ballroom at 1pm Saturday November 16th at Jengo's Playhouse at 10:30am