THE makers of a new film which “tackles the menopause head-on” are appealing for women to share their own midlife experiences, with a chance to appear on cinema screens.

Hot Flash is a comedy delving into midlife themes such as imposter syndrome, pursuing long-held ambitions, and going through menopause. It stars Gaynor Faye as Geri, who fulfils her lifelong dream of becoming an entrepreneur despite being up against increasingly brutal circumstances – not least being fired from her job.

Shot entirely on the Yorkshire coast, in Bridlington and Scarborough, the film’s cast also including Amandaland star Samuel Anderson, Benidorm’s Jake Canuso, Casualty’s Melanie Hill and broadcaster Christine Talbot, who has a cameo role.

Motherland star Samuel Anderson. Image: Kirill Kozlov

The film is due for release in October – and Bradford women are invited to share their own menopause stories, with a chance to be featured in the comedy when it hits cinemas.

Says director Kathryn Carmichael: “As a celebration of midlife women and one of the first feature films to explore the specific challenges we face when trying to pursue our dreams, Hot Flash is one of the most important projects I’ve ever worked on. We want to see our amazing community of followers being represented on the big screen in all their glory, and everyone’s welcome to get involved!”

Kathryn is looking for videos of between 10 seconds and two minutes long. While 10 second clips are more likely to make the cut for cinemas, longer clips have a chance of featuring on the film’s social media – @hotflash.film.

Videos can be made on a phone in landscape or portrait.

Adds Kathryn: “Just hold up your phone and film yourself talking about your experiences as a woman in midlife or beyond, including any advice or funny stories. DM your video to the Hot Flash Instagram account and tell friends to do theirs too – it’s as simple as that and we’ll be in touch with everyone who contributes with next steps.”

Leeds actress Gaynor, whose TV work includes The Syndicate, Emmerdale and Fat Friends, says getting involved in Hot Flash “was a no-brainer”.

“It’s great to work alongside Jan Birley, a female writer, with a strong female character at the heart of the story.

“Jan’s writing is humorous, touching, and tackles menopause head-on – something few feature-length films do.

“My mum, Kay Mellor, was a huge advocate of putting women front and centre in her work, especially those richer in years who seem to become invisible, and Jan has thrown the spotlight on them on the big screen.

“Hot Flash is filled with wit and grit, and it’s also set in my home county Yorkshire. It’s ultimately a vehicle for me to champion the many people who are navigating the challenges of menopause and help women feel seen and supported. “Too many of us stop pursuing our dreams because it’s just too hard! I want to encourage people to keep going.”

‘Hot Flash is one of the most important projects I’ve ever worked on,’ says director Kathryn Carmichael

Jan Birley is CEO of BoxTree Media Ltd and exec-produced 2019 film A Very Yorkshire Christmas starring All Creatures Great and Small actress Rachel Shenton. Jan has produced two short films and written a number of award-winning scripts and novels.

Says Jan: “Hot Flash is about a woman’s quest to reignite crushed dreams and launch her own business – all while navigating the challenges of menopause, midlife and single motherhood.

“It’s a celebration of midlife women and triumph over adversity. It also explores the impact menopause has on women’s confidence in day-to-day life.

Jan Birley at the Yorkshire coast, where the film was shot. Image: Mary Davies (Image: MARY DAVIES)

“I think everyone in midlife and/or menopause will be able to relate to lead character Geri because we’re living the daily challenges no-one else sees or thinks about.

“Just when you feel like you’ve got your life together, it can really pull the rug from under you. You feel undermined, unseen, and unattractive. Some women don’t even know it’s the menopause until it’s sort of crept up on them and done quite a lot of collateral damage. We want to help all women have those conversations early.”