“I truly believe that if menopause hadn’t been such an off-limits topic when I first started experiencing symptoms, I would’ve had an easier transition,” shared actress Naomi Watts. Halle Berry recently stood outside the U.S. Capitol and yelled, “I’m in menopause.”
While the celebrity attention is chipping away at the stigma around menopause, a groundbreaking new documentary – The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause – is transforming the conversation even more profoundly. The film shares much needed information and empowers women around the world to bring the conversation around menopause into the mainstream.
A Passion Project
For executive producers Joanne LaMarca Mathisen, a former television executive with NBC’s Today Show and Tamsen Fadal, an award-winning journalist, The M Factor is a deeply personal project. Both women struggled with menopause symptoms and were frustrated by the lack of information, solutions and support available to them.
“We realized, if we were educated women who knew nothing about menopause, then we couldn’t be the only ones suffering and clueless,” says Mathisen.
Armed with their storytelling skills, Mathisen bought a new iPhone, and the duo took to the streets to interview women. “We grabbed any woman who would talk to us,” says Mathisen. “We even wore T-shirts that read ‘It’s Not Me, It’s (Me)no pause’ and Tamsen would interview and I would shoot.”
Tamsen Fadal interviewing Dr. Sharon Malone
“The more women I met the more I realized we were dealing with a public health crisis – women without solutions, often misdiagnosed and suffering in silence,” says Fadal. She eventually made the difficult decision to step away from the anchor desk and commit full time to telling a story that impacts half the world’s population.
Tackling a Taboo Topic
Mathisen and Fadal were introduced to filmmaker and health advocate Denise Pines. Armed with data from a self-funded research study, Pines pitched the project to potential sponsors.
“The target audience are what I call ‘super consumers’,” says Pines. “We know what these women want and what they buy.” Despite this, menopause was still seen as an unmarketable subject. “I kept hearing, ‘Denise, who would want to watch a film about menopause?’ And I thought, half the population who are going to experience it and have no information!”
The turning point came when they connected with PBS, securing a platform to bring The M Factor to a wider audience. Without corporate sponsorship, the film was self-funded by its producers. The film premiered in New York City and its impact is significantly transforming women’s health. The producers have received more than 600 requests for screenings worldwide.
The M Factor film premier, New York City October 18, 2024
“As a founder and doctor, I know the importance of storytelling,” says Dr. Somi Javaid, founder of the women’s health-focused medical practice HerMD. “I watched women in the audience cry tears of relief as they finally felt heard and found a community, eradicating the feeling of isolation.”
Empowering Women Through Education and Innovation
The M Factor is more than a film; it’s a movement. The women behind the project believe the documentary will advance women’s health in several key ways:
- Starting Conversations: The film helps normalize discussions around menopause, letting women know they don’t have to suffer in silence. “Women should feel comfortable talking about what they are experiencing as their bodies age,” says Pines.
Dr. Somi Javaid, founder of HerMD with actress and activist Naomi Watts
- Educating Doctors: The documentary advocates for better education for doctors so they can properly treat women going through menopause. “I’m a board-certified OB/GYN,” says Dr. Javaid. “Four years of women’s health education, and I had only one month of training on menopause.”
- Raising Awareness in the Investment Community: The producers hope to inspire the venture capital community to fuel investment and innovation in women’s health. “If you’re a man, your only barometer to women’s health is your wife,” says Pines. To address this gap, the producers have hosted pitch competitions, awarding $250,000 in cash and prizes. They’ve also partnered with Keiretsu Forum – one of the largest angel investment networks in the world.
- Creating a Safe Space for Women: The producers are also building a website to accompany the film, offering resources for women seeking information on symptoms, treatments and workplace accommodations. They’re also working to bring more companies on board to provide menopause benefits to their employees.
Twenty years ago, the face of menopause was Dorothy from the Golden Girls. Today it’s Naomi and Halle. “Now that celebrities are talking about it, it’s trendy to be meno!” says Mathisen.
The M Factor aims to ensure that women entering menopause feel empowered, informed and ready to reclaim their lives. “I want every woman to know they’re not alone, they’re not imagining things and there are solutions,” says Fadal. “We must help women thrive as they age,” Pines added. “When women thrive, everyone around them thrives.”
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