Olivia Caley

Set in early 1800s England, a young lady (Gemma Chan) engages in courtship with a mysterious wealthy suitor, Mr. Malcolm (Sope Dirisu), unaware of his unattainable list of demands for his future wife. Written by Suzanne Allain, based on her script and novel of the same name, and directed by Emma Holly Jones, the romantic comedy stars Sope Dirisu, Gemma Chan, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Freida Pinto.

Delphyne (meaning ‘womb’) discusses the stigma around menstruation. Addressing shame and acceptance, taboos around menstrual blood are told through a fabric-themed metaphor, and the conflict between a mother-daughter relationship; to find a shared unity and language to beat the conflict which projects itself in the shame metaphor that they’ve unwound and removed from their life. The historical connotations of staining, feminine purity and the divide between private and public space as well as ownership of the body come into play. The coming of age theme is reflected in reference to her struggle with the self (alter-ego), struggle with the ‘other’ (male influence) and struggle with the home (her Mother).