Actress and director Andréanne Théberge dissects the menstrual cycle in an uninhibited documentary series, both funny and colorful, but also educational and engaging. A viewing that can hardly leave us indifferent. Five things to know about PMS: splendors, sorrows and mysteries of the menstrual cycleoffered in the Véro.tv section of ICI Tou.tv Extra.
Five years before the project is approved
Offered since mid-May, the series took five years to be accepted. “Everyone, the production companies, the broadcasters, told me that there was nothing to say,” explains Andréanne Théberge, met at her home last week. Hard to believe, after watching the first four 20-minute episodes (a fifth will be released at the end of June), quite dense thank you, which give voice to a number of women, combining testimonies and reflections, and oh so many questions. Not to mention all the little popularization activities, surrounding several concepts little known to the main interested parties (endometriosis, cervical mucus, fornix, etc.), and the scope of the subjects covered (from severe PMS to menstrual leave including the question of free menstrual products in schools).
“Everything changed the day the series Loto-Méno was released, continues the director. So ! There are plenty of things to say, women want to talk about it. Véronique Cloutier paved the way for us to finally talk about women’s issues and women’s bodies! »
His history
At the origin of the project: the story of Andréanne Théberge’s menstruation (or rather the absence of it), which she reveals from the outset in the first episode. “I lost my periods when I was 21. » Above all, all her friends envied her, she remembers. “It fascinated me to hear that. » It rather mystified her: how is it possible that no woman appreciates this cycle, why aren’t we talking about it, “is there any way to open a dialogue? “, she summarizes. That’s not all: when her periods finally returned, Andréanne had just met her current lover. In therapy, she realized that perhaps her body was speaking to her. It sounds esoteric said like that, we grant you that. Still: “From the ages of 19 to 21, I was in a toxic relationship, and I remembered a sentence from my mother, who told me that she was so afraid that I would get pregnant. Then I stopped menstruating. » Did his body really “spoke” to him? If we would have liked to hear a doctor react, the series at least has the merit of addressing the subject. For her part, Andréanne Théberge has no doubt: “I am fascinated to what extent our menstrual cycle is linked to our head! »
An opinion documentary
This explains that ? Each episode is preceded by the “opinion documentary” notice. “Maybe because I’m not a journalist, and I give voice to lots of women who have different opinions? », says Andréanne Théberge. This is one of the great interests of the series: the plurality of testimonies. Young people, old people, famous people (Kim Thúy, Sarah-Maude Beauchesne, Catherine Fournier, Catherine Ethier), others not, all (and all, since several men also speak) have something to say about the period.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY RADIO-CANADA
One of the great interests of the series: the plurality of testimonies. Here we see Andréanne Théberge (left) and Catherine Ethier (right).
“There are as many ways to menstruate as there are women!” » Note that we also hear from a gynecologist, a science journalist, a trans man as well as a “guide” in women’s health, responsible for a retreat around the “sacred feminine”. This gives you an idea of the diversity of angles affected here.
A man experiencing menstrual pain
Perhaps you saw host Jean-Philippe Wauthier try the famous machine to simulate menstrual pain, on the show Good evening ! lately. It’s the same one that the documentary’s sound guy tested during filming. “I saw it online,” explains the director, “and it was really important for me to have it in the series. ” Objective ? Empathy ! “We are often told: “oh, women, you always have a little boo-boo”, but we are powerful! Our tolerance threshold is higher than that of men! » The sound recordist in question did not endure the machine (made up of a series of electrodes to be placed in the lower abdomen and back) for more than 25 minutes. “I can’t believe that you tolerate this,” paraphrases Andréanne Théberge, who hopes that the exercise will keep people talking for a long time. “Many women suffer in silence! »
A menstrual cup inserted on camera
It strikes the imagination: Andréanne Théberge inserts a menstrual cup on camera. This is no small thing, when we remember that our grandmothers got up at night, in secret, to sneakily clean their rags and other makeshift sanitary napkins. But the gesture, as direct as it may be, is above all a pretext to encourage women to try durable protections, when we know all the waste caused by disposable protections. Regarding the latter, we learn several disturbing things here. Among other things: that tampons and pads were tested with blood for the first time in 2023, and until now they were tested with water. “It’s an aberration! exclaims the director. And they have never been tested in vaginas! But we know that there are lots of chemicals in there! ” Did you know ? The vagina is ten times more absorbent than the mouth. “If you put one tampon in your vagina, it’s like you’re eating ten.” We need to know what we are putting into our bodies! »
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