BAFTA-Winning Film 'This Is Endometriosis' Is A Wake-Up Call On Women's Pain

This Is Endometriosis, directed by Georgie Wileman and Matt Houghton, won a BAFTA Award 2026 for Best British Short Film. The film documents the reality of a condition that affects millions of people with a uterus, yet is deeply misunderstood even in the medical landscape. Georgie Wileman made the film to bring down the myth that endometriosis is just simple “painful periods,” and instead portray it as a disabling condition that is frequently ignored by doctors.

Made entirely by volunteers, the project reflects her lived experience. Even Georgie's red BAFTA dress, designed by her brother, carried the message: “Fund Endometriosis Research.” 

In her acceptance speech, she described her mission as “refusing the polite distance often placed between the audience and women’s pain.” 

What exactly is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue like the uterine lining begins to grow in other areas of the body. This tissue can cause pain, inflammation and scarring.

For many, the pain is not just experienced during a monthly cycle, but it is a daily struggle that comes with fatigue, infertility, gastrointestinal problems, and multiple surgeries.

Despite its commonality, diagnosis can take years. Many people with endometriosis have been misdiagnosed or told that it is just part of life. This dismissal is what the short film “This Is Endometriosis” hopes to combat.

A Story Rooted in Lived Experience

The BAFTA-winning short film is almost like a journal. Georgie Wileman, who is a photographer and filmmaker, has put her own experiences battling endometriosis into this short film.

After fighting for years to be heard in medical environments, she began to photograph her own experiences, moments of vulnerability, pain, and rebuilding that never see the light of day in public environments.

This is more than just a means of self-expression; it is a way to bring about a change in the way that endometriosis is portrayed in stock photographs.

This experience is not about staying in the same place. It’s about feeling the weight of endometriosis; feeling the exhaustion, the isolation and the determination that comes when living with a chronic disease.

A Different Way of Storytelling

'This Is Endometriosis' is not a regular documentary form, with self-shot footage, stills and commentary that is reflective in nature. The narrative is as unpredictable as the condition itself, which makes it feel more real, more honest and more relatable.

It is not about exploiting pain or turning it into theatre. It is about making it visible. In doing so, it becomes a way to move from sympathising with the condition to understanding it, and that is what makes it challenging and validating.

From Film to Movement

Beyond the screen, the project sparked a powerful social campaign. Individuals living with endometriosis recreated images highlighting their surgical scars, often marked with the dates of their operations. Thousands participated to transform personal trauma into collective testimony.

For many, the campaign created something medicine had failed to provide: validation. It reminded people that their pain was real and shared.