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Free Period

Free Period is a Glaswegian standoff between a schoolgirl and a tampon machine.

When schoolgirl Leanne can’t afford a sanitary pad she stuffs her knickers with toilet paper and ends up bleeding in front of her class. Leanne overcomes this humiliation with a shocking act of rebellion - against a bully, a teacher, and against the stigma which acts as a barrier to her needs.

  • Alison Piper
    Director
    Stalactites
  • Alison Piper
    Writer
    Stalactites
  • Anna Fraga McLucas
    Producer
    Lost Girl, Blindsided
  • Jasmin Riggins
    Key Cast
    The Angel's Share
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Western, Comedy, Drama, Teen, Women's Rights
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 23, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    4,500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 2k
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Edinburgh Short Film Festival
    Edinburgh
    United Kingdom
    November 23, 2017
  • Crystal Palace International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 16, 2017
    Winner - Best Short Film Award
  • Underwire Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 20, 2017
    Winner - XX Award for best female representation. Nominated - Screenwriting Award
  • Inverness Film Festival
    Inverness
    United Kingdom
    November 24, 2017
  • WFTV Showcase - Show Us Your Shorts
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 27, 2017
  • WOW - Women of the World Festival
    Perth
    United Kingdom
    October 28, 2017
  • Scottish Parliament - Private screening at launch of public consultation into the members' bill to end period poverty
    Edinburgh
    United Kingdom
    August 14, 2017
  • Socially Relevant Film Festival
    New York
    United Kingdom
    March 20, 2018
    US premiere
    Winner: Best Actress in a short film.
  • London Independent Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 21, 2018
    Official selection
  • British Independent Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 2, 2018
    Official Selectiom
  • UnDependence Festival
    Stirling
    United Kingdom
    April 28, 2018
    Nominated: Best Short Film
  • Hidden Door Festival 2018
    Edinburgh
    United Kingdom
    May 30, 2018
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Alison Piper

Alison Piper (b. 1988, Scotland) is a Glasgow based filmmaker and video artist. Since graduating from the Northern Film School in 2009, she has worked in the UK film industry as a freelance assistant director and can usually be found chasing extras around a muddy field.

In recent years she has developed a practice in fine art filmmaking - her video installation ‘A Lower Volume’ with artist Rachel McBrinn was exhibited as part of the 2015 Aesthetica Art Prize. ‘Stalactites’ premiered at the 9th Glasgow Short Film Festival and is Alison’s first narrative film, her new short film 'Free Period' was launched in July 2017 alongside a campaign for sanitary products to be provided free of charge for young people in Scotland.

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Director Statement

'Free Period' is unashamedly a film with an opinion - that in the same way condoms are free and accessible for young people, sanitary products should be provided free of charge in schools, health centres and homeless shelters.