Modern Post Brings Colour to ‘It’s Different for Girls'

Journalist and filmmaker Billie JD Porter has announced that her latest documentary, It’s Different for Girls, will premiere at Hot Docs, North America’s leading documentary festival. Now in its 32nd year, the festival runs from April 24th to May 4th and marks its first edition under newly appointed Executive Director Diana Sanchez.

Billie, whose previous credits span BBC, Vice, Channel 4, and Vogue, developed the film over five years, stating that the piece was partly inspired by her own difficult experiences with hormonal birth control. The film explores ground breaking developments in male contraception currently underway in the United States, highlighting the growing urgency of these innovations in post-Roe America. Modern Post’s Taylor Schafer provided colour for the film, helping to shape its distinct visual tone.

Director and Producer Billie JD Porter offers a personal and poignant perspective on the gender bias in reproductive health. Reflecting on her own experience with hormonal birth control, she sheds light on the systemic issues surrounding contraception and the barriers to male birth control. As she explains, “Like most women I know, I was first prescribed hormonal birth control as a teenager. I proceeded to spend almost two decades cycling through various products, in an attempt to find a method that didn't wreak havoc on my body and mind. Throughout this time, I became more and more infuriated by the fact that women are unable to share the burden of preventing unwanted pregnancy with their partners, and the fact that this sacrifice is ingrained in our society as a female's responsibility. This film exposes the reality that male birth control is not some distant, idealistic fantasy - the roadblocks in bringing a product to market have less to do with science, and more to do with misogyny and gender bias. “

The film was produced in association with Park Pictures, the Academy Award winning production studio behind ‘Daughters’ and ‘The Perfect Neighbor,’ which took home the Directing prize for US Documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, before going on to be acquired by Netflix.

Jack Pearkes served as executive producer on the project - whose previous credits include the 2024 Academy Award Nominated Narrative Short, ‘Red White and Blue’ - a film following a mother and daughter forced to cross state lines in order to terminate a pregnancy.

The film was edited by the Emmy Nominated filmmaker, Mimi Wilcox.