Stop shaming women about being women. It’s a message that could have been bitter, but an exquisite film for women’s health company, Hertility by creative content agency, Be The Fox, makes its statement calmly, poetically and convincingly. More important, it’s a riveting 120 seconds.
The film spotlights gender bias in healthcare and chastises society for using a woman’s hormones against her. It’s a call to open up the conversation and get women to take their hormones into their own hands. The narration highlights how women have been excluded by science and dismissed by a healthcare system that doesn’t understand them and was never built for them – the barrages of conflicting advice doled out – “In pain? Pain is normal. Irregular periods? Go on the pill”. The impossible standards they are told to live up to – “Want a baby? You’re too young to worry about fertility. Have fun! Still trying? Silly girl. You left it too late, were you having too much fun?”
The film turns the age-old criticism of women, being hormonal, into an asset with simple rational thinking housed in an emotive delivery, underlined by music from patriarchy-smashing pop artist, Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self-Esteem.
Dr Helen O’Neill, chief executive officer and founder of Hertility, explained, “Our hormones control our lives- they dictate our fertility, our weight, our sleep, our mood. We need to harness them, not harass women for simply being ‘hormonal’. This film serves to elevate the voices of women who have been ignored and dismissed. To empower women to hear their hormones and take control of their health. We need to start listening to women when they know that something isn’t right. In the 21st century, it shouldn’t be a game of chance to find out if you are fertile. Equipping yourself with knowledge about your reproductive health and fertility can help you make informed decisions when it matters, not when it’s too late.
“Women are seeking medical help to just be told to wait longer, to relax, to try not to worry, to take a new pill. This isn’t okay, and we’re calling time on this dismissive response to women’s reproductive health, we’re calling it The Mother Of All Movements.”
Credits:
Concept, Creative Director, Director: Liz Unna
Choreographer: Lynne Page
Music Track: Self Esteem
Content Agency: Be The Fox
Co-founder & Executive Producer: Diana Ellis Hill
Creative Producer: Laura Richards
DoP: Carmen Pellon (Repped By Wizzo And Co)
Movi Operator: Bud Gallimore
Focus Puller: Joseph Edwards
1st Ac: Laura Aguilera
1st Ad: Daisy Jt Smith
Co-Writer: Trak Ellis-Hill
Editor: Chloe Kelly
Colourist: Jax Harney
Sound Design: James Locke-Hart
Gaffer: Sam Crook
Spark: James Duffy
Make-up: Sarah Cherry
Make-up Assist: Gracie Cox
Stylist: Andrea Allen
Director’s Assistant: Phoebe Gussin
Production Assistant: Belle Chapman-Jessop
Production Runner: Flora Scott
Hertility is a women’s health company built by women, for women, setting a new standard of scientific rigour and education in female health. 31% of women will suffer from a reproductive health issue at some point, but through at-home hormone testing and care, it aims to reduce the time diagnosis that women have traditionally faced.
