FIRST PERIOD
2023 · 5m
Directed by Julianna Romero
Genres: coming-of-age, family, musical
Tones: tender, theatrical, whimsical
After a catholic middle schooler gets bullied about her period, her friend consoles her about accepting menstruation as a normal part of their lives. THROUGH SONG!
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
A musical about period acceptance in a Catholic school feels like the safest possible subversion—well-intentioned but fundamentally consensus, the kind of film that gets celebrated for being 'brave' while actually confirming what everyone already agrees is correct.
Romero situates this squarely in the lineage of theatrical coming-of-age shorts, and the formal choice to weaponize song as both emotional salve and social education demonstrates clear command of the musical form's affective grammar.
The decision to let the friend's song do all the emotional labor—rather than cutting away or explaining—is what saves this from PSA territory; it's that commitment to the musical as genuine conversation rather than lecture that makes the whole five minutes breathe.