An interview with director Louise Unmack Kjeldsen about insomnia, research gaps – and why we should finally put menopause into the spotlight.
This week, a film premieres that is long overdue: „Menopause Mystery (German: Mein neues altes Ich)“ by Louise Unmack Kjeldsen. A documentary about menopause – personal, scientific, political. And yes: the first European film to bring this topic to the big screen on such a scale.
The film will be in cinemas from March 12, 2026.
Following the premiere, a movie tour will begin through ten German cities – together with the TabooTalkers Sandra Baron and Tina Holmes, who are also protagonists in the film. One film. One movement. One tour.
We spoke with Louise.
“I thought something was wrong with me.”
Belle&Yell: Louise, your film begins very personally. What was the moment when you realized: Something is happening to my body – and I don’t understand it?
Louise Unmack Kjeldsen:
I was at a good point in my life. My children were grown, I loved my work, my husband and I had rediscovered our freedom. And suddenly I couldn’t sleep anymore. My head felt like mush. I was irritable, sad – for no reason. I thought: This can’t be happening. I have every reason to be happy.
One of those sleepless nights, I started googling. And there I found them: thousands of women around the world searching for the same thing I was. Answers.
40 symptoms. And hardly any research.
Belle&Yell: You originally wanted to make an evidence-based science film.
Louise:
Yes. My plan was: I would find the experts, collect the answers – and then we could close the case. But it’s not that simple. There are over 40 symptoms of menopause. And they are extremely diverse. Some women seem to go through this phase without major problems. Others can barely continue working.
And this word kept appearing: “possibly.” After filming, it became clear: The definitive answers are missing because the large systematic studies were never conducted.
Why do we know so little?
Belle&Yell: We’re talking about half of the world’s population. Why do we know so little?
Louise:
Because for centuries, the male body was the norm in medicine. Women were considered “too complicated” for studies. Our cycle was used as an argument to exclude us. Even today, less than five percent of global research funding is specifically allocated to women’s health. That’s not a coincidence. That’s structural.
Menopause is not a luxury problem. It’s an economic problem.
The film is not just about hot flashes, but about societal consequences.
- 44% of women report that their ability to work is impaired by menopause symptoms.
- 10% have left their jobs because of symptoms.
Louise:
Many women are at the peak of their careers when menopause begins. If they drop out, it’s a loss for them – and for society. But we don’t talk about it. It’s still a taboo.
Sleep, Brain, Alzheimer’s
Belle&Yell: The film asks uncomfortable questions: Why do women between 45 and 54 have the highest suicide rate? How are hot flashes connected to Alzheimer’s risk?
Leading researchers like Pauline Maki are studying the connection between nighttime hot flashes and changes in the brain.
Louise:
Sleep is not a wellness issue. If we don’t sleep, the brain cannot regenerate. And yet many women are prescribed sleeping pills or antidepressants – instead of a holistic evaluation.
Hormone therapy – between fear and evidence
Belle&Yell: Hormone therapy is a controversial topic. How do you approach it?
Louise:
I didn’t want to push an agenda. I wanted to show why there is so much uncertainty. After the WHI study in 2002, usage declined dramatically worldwide. But newer analyses show that for many younger women, the benefit-risk profile can be positive.
My message is: Get informed. Talk to your doctors. Make your decision based on knowledge – not fear.
A #MeToo Movement of Menopause
Belle&Yell: Do you feel there is a cultural shift happening?
Louise:
Yes. While I was making the film, women around the world began sharing their stories. It felt like a #MeToo movement of menopause.
But we are only at the beginning.
Premiere & Movie tour with the TabooTalkers
“Menopause Mystery (German: “Mein neues altes Ich”) is more than a film.
It is an invitation to start a conversation.
After the premiere on March 12, 2026, the team will embark on a Germany tour – together with the TabooTalkers Sandra Baron and Tina Holmes, who share their stories in the film.
Ten cities.
Ten evenings.
One topic that affects nine million women in Germany alone.
Why you should watch this film
Because:
- one third of all women experience severe symptoms
- we lose 95% of our estrogen
- and because this phase is not the end – but a transition.
Or as Louise says:
“I hope that the next generation of women will not go home with just a diagnosis – but with knowledge, understanding, and support.”
Belle&Yell says: Out of whisper mode. Into the cinema.
We celebrate this film. We celebrate the women who share their stories. And we celebrate every woman who leaves the screening no longer thinking: Something is wrong with me.
But instead:
Something is wrong with the system. And we are changing it now.