BEST AUSTRALIAN (ANIMATION) SHORT FILM
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
My Monthly Struggle
Crystal Tai | 2024 | 2m | Australia | Australian (Animation), Micro Short, Student
A playful exploration of menstruation, turning its ups and downs into a vibrant, conversation-starting narrative and visual ballet.
Credits
Director & Animator
Crystal Tai
Interview with director Crystal Tai
An audio recording will be uploaded shortly
Reviews
Written by Jack McKenzie
Flinders University Bachelor of Creative Industries (Film and Television) Student
My Monthly Struggle, directed and animated by Crystal Tai, is a visually inventive short that transforms the taboo topic of menstruation into a vibrant and empowering cinematic experience. Winner of Best Australian (Animation), this film stands out not just for its technical excellence, but for its courage, humour, and authenticity.
Inspired by Tai’s own experiences, My Monthly Struggle approaches menstruation with playfulness and charm, using imaginative visuals and expressive animation to depict the rollercoaster of emotions, pain, and absurdity that accompany each cycle. The film’s whimsical art style and clever use of metaphor make the invisible become visible, cramps becoming monsters and mood swings turning into weather systems. Every frame feels alive with so much colour, creative energy, and emotional honesty.
What makes this short so impactful is its perfect balance of humour and heart. Tai doesn’t shy away from the messiness of the subject, instead embracing it, inviting audiences to laugh, empathise, and reflect. The film’s narrative rhythm mirrors the monthly cycle itself, unpredictable, intense, and ultimately cathartic.
The animation is bursting with personality, supported by dynamic sound design, amplifying the story’s tone. Beneath its charm lies a powerful message about normalising conversations around menstruation and celebrating the resilience and complexity of those who experience it.
While it’s delightfully inventive, a slightly longer runtime could allow for certain emotional beats to breathe more fully. Expanding on the quieter, reflective moments between bursts of humour might deepen the audience’s connection to the protagonist’s journey, adding even more heart to an already vibrant and meaningful film.
Crystal Tai’s direction is confident, creative, and refreshingly honest. By transforming something so personal into a universal and joyous story, she breaks down stigma with style and sensitivity. My Monthly Struggle is more than just a visual treat, it’s a cultural statement wrapped with colour.
Written by Tom Venus
Flinders University Bachelor of Creative Arts (Screen) Student
One of the shortest films to screen at AIFF this year was the brief animated film My Monthly Struggle. Vivid and told without any dialogue, the film showcases the struggles of menstruation, using its fluid and colourful imagery to convey the pains and discomfort that come from it.
Thorns, knots, and flytraps are strikingly animated and get the film’s point across in a powerful way. The animators are keenly aware of the effect of using it without dialogue, which allows the audience to infer their own meaning regarding the experience of menstruation.The film starts and ends in the same place, a testament to the cyclical nature of menstruation and reminding us that the cycle continues, even after the film ends.