Menstruation is not exactly a topic one sees often depicted on the big screen. And when it is, it's rarely handled in the best way. Taympers, a short film entry to Puregold CinePanalo 2025, hopes to change that. However, creating this short film is as unique as its subject matter.
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| Taympers |
In the film, an innocent child is suddenly introduced to the world of womanhood when she witnesses her older sister feel pain in her body.
Breaking the taboo
"I want to create Taympers to show the collective experience of every woman, especially in the Philippines." film director and writer Naiah Nicole Mendoza explains in her director's statement.
It's actually hard to recall a film that addresses menstruation in a grounded way. Sometimes, despite their quality, it's only used as a storytelling device for a much bigger narrative (e.g., Tagos ng Dugo). Taympers takes a different approach: it tells the period stories themselves. The film simply goes back to depict what happens to every woman, whether they like it or not.
"While writing, Francesca Dela Cruz (my co-writer) and I based more of what happens in Taympers on our personal experiences as women and girls who had their first periods before," she also shares in her exclusive written interview with CBO on the film's inspirations.
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| Image courtesy of film marketing head John Clite Apolinar |
Even in particular conversations in the film, Mendoza wants the viewer to gain as much insight as possible about what it’s like to have periods. There are also scenes where the characters express things they wished they'd known when they had their first periods, shedding light on topics often discussed among women.
Producer Rafaela Abucejo longs for a society that diminishes the idea of periods as something disgraceful. "It is high time we need to create more stories like this, especially because we treat art and media as a tool for social change and awareness," she explains. Co-producer Carey Erwin Bayno also wants the film to be a medium of bridge among different genders. He adds, "this story is intended not only to empower women to share their stories without shame but also to encourage men to create a safe space for discussions that connect to these lived experiences."
Showcasing menstruation
How do you actually showcase these stories? Director Mendoza reveals that the film was inspired by the aesthetics of 90s and early 2000s rom-com films, as they want to incorporate nostalgia through colors. Director of photography Nicolle Matutina placed the world in a pinkish tone as Mendoza wanted to give the world a more feminine and childlike feel.
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| Image courtesy of film marketing head John Clite Apolinar |
While budget and time constraints are common problems among student-led productions, those did not stop the film from being completed. "Yet ayun 'yung magic kasi kahit pa may restrictions, people go to extreme lengths para lang ma achieve nang maayos at maganda ang project," producer Bayno adds.
For instance, the house featured in the film was designed entirely by the production team, impressively from a blank slate, producer Abucejo reveals. "It was amazing to see how good it turned out on screen, knowing the location barely had anything, " she highlights.
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| Image courtesy of film marketing head John Clite Apolinar |
Abucejo, who directed last year's short Saan Ka Pinaglihi?, also learned about the importance of planning the logistics of the film carefully. "We cannot achieve the goal of the film if we do not plan to meet everyone’s standard as well as the director’s vision, she explains.
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| Image courtesy of film marketing head John Clite Apolinar |
