Director and producer Sadhvi Siddhali Shree (Surviving Sex Trafficking) along with co-director and co-producer Sadhvi Anubhuti (For the Animals) are currently in production on BALANCE: A PERIMENOPAUSE JOURNEY, a four-part documentary series about the taboo and timely subject of women facing perimenopause, with their longtime collaborator – actress and activist Alyssa Milano. The team hopes to secure a platform to premiere the docuseries and maximize its impact.
Perimenopause, or the transition to menopause, impacts every woman on the planet and can happen at any age in her life but is one of the least understood by medical research and science. Filmmakers Sadhvi Siddhali Shree and Sadhvi Anubhuti set out to learn just what it means for all of humanity when our bodies change us. With trusted professionals, doctors, and influencers, they’re on a quest to break the stigma, educate the world, and enact change to help women achieve BALANCE.
Milano, who serves as both executive producer and interview subject in the series, said, “While menopause is inevitable for all women, the suffering in solitude that many experience, the general lack of awareness of the physical and mental effects, and the substandard care for aging women and their hormonal health can all be dramatically improved. In our docuseries, BALANCE, we shed light on the relentless stigma and dismissal many perimenopausal women face when it comes to their hormonal experiences, and we advocate for increased research and support, which should include the input of women in the medical field. Under the umbrella term ‘healthcare,’ women’s health is not sufficiently prioritized here in the U.S., or in most countries around the world. With our docuseries, BALANCE, we aim to change that—because after all, women’s health and women’s equality go hand in hand.”
The female-led team includes Director and Producer Sadhvi Siddhali Shree, an Army Iraq-war veteran and North America’s first female Jain Monk, as well as Sadhvi Anubhuti who serves as Co-Director and Co-Producer and is also a Jain Monk.
The series features an all-star lineup of influential women’s healthcare specialists, including Dr. Heather Hirsch, MD, MS, NCM; Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Board-certified OBGYN, FACOG, CMP; Dr. Sharon Malone, MD, FACOG, CMP, MSCP and Chief Medical Officer of Alloy Health; Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OBGYN, MBA, FACOG; Dr. Julie Brush, ND at Amen Clinics; Dr. Vonda Wright, MD and orthopedic surgeon; Dr. Michelle Sands, ND at Glow Natural Wellness, Dr. Louise Newson, UK-based GP and Menopause Specialist; and Dr. Neal Barnard, a health and plant-based expert.
