Director Emma Branderhorst SPOTLESS tackles the worldwide issue of not being able to afford female sanitary products. This live action short film shares a story of a 15 year old girl, Ruby, as she navigates having her period while not being able to afford period products. This important film will now compete for an Academy Awards nomination.

In 2020, Scotland became the first country in the world to provide sanitary products free of charge. Unfortunately the world statistics are still startling with 1 in 10 women being impacted by lack of access to affordable period products. Around the world people and groups are working towards making tampons and sanitary napkins easily accessible, and less expensive, for those who need them. Films such as SPOTLESS bolster such efforts and start a dialogue about period poverty.

In the film we follow 15-year-old Ruby. During her period, she doesn’t dare to ask her mother for tampons or sanitary pads because she knows that money is tight. She tries to fix it herself.

Director Emma Branderhorst is a graduate of the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Former projects of hers include UNDER THE SKIN and FEMME. In her films, she tackles societal issues that people tend to avoid discussing; from the impact of family on sexual development, to the subtle breakdown of individuality in young girls.

Producer Nicky Onstenk, of the Amsterdam based production company IJswater Films, has been working alongside Emma to bring awareness to period poverty through SPOTLESS. After the film won the Crystal Bear at the 2022 Berlinale Film Festival, numerous festival selections and wins followed. In addition, the film is also being used for educational purposes at schools all over the Netherlands.

Alicia Prinsen (HIDDEN STORIES & SPOTLESS) stars as Ruby with a vulnerability that makes it impossible for audiences not to empathise with her attempts to cope and fix her situation. Astrid van Eck (GRIT, GRENSLANDER, & THE FORGOTTEN BATTLE) stars alongside Prinsen as mother Barbara. With these talents and Branderhorst’s directorial approach, it’s no surprise the film won the OSCAR® qualifying Grand Prix for Best Short Film at the Festival Regard Canada ’22.

SPOTLESS can soon be seen at:

15th Bueu International Short Film Festival – International competition, Spain, September 2022

5th Cut to: GENT – official competition, Belgium, September 2022

Festival Du Film Jeune De Lyon – official competition, France, September 2022

19th Reykjavík International Film Festival – Youth Program (non-competitive), Iceland, September/October 2022

International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! – Official competition, Poland, October 2022

Bolton International Film Festival – official competition, England, October 2022

The OSCAR shortlist will be announced on December 21st, 2022.