New Year 2020: Guneet Monga won the best documentary short Oscar

Guneet Monga, producer

Period. End of Sentence is a classic US-India co-production that impacted everyone involved - from the girls of Oakwood School [Los Angeles, who conceptualised the documentary] to those in Hapur [the subject of the documentary].

Personally, the win empowered me in ways I couldn't imagine. I have made movies for long; in fact, I started off with massy movies [Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, 2010], but always remained on the periphery of Bollywood. [After the win], more doors opened for me, actors finally knew my name. I have been celebrated for independent cinema throughout my career, but I was finally known on home turf.

With regard to India, it proved that an Oscar victory is possible. On a global level, it started a dialogue about the subject of the lack of access Indian women have to menstruation hygiene, and the potential of Indian cinema. I have believed in the power of short films. What PadMan [Akshay Kumar-led film on menstruation, 2018] did for India was amazing, and our short film took the conversation further on an international level. My impression that an Oscar win is all about lobbying also changed. At the end of the day, it has to be good material. I must commend Netflix for doing a great job on promoting the film worldwide.

The film won clearly on the merit of the subject. Winning an award is quite a moment, but the next morning, you wake up and hope your next movie surpasses the standards your last one set. Awards are validation, but the inspiration to continue doesn't come from them. It comes from a passion for movies.

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