Half of the people in the world have a uterus, but many don’t know a lot about the connected hormone cycle. Isn’t that strange? The Cycle Club (Maandverbond) explores the wonderful world of the cycle, live via Telegram, and does not shy away from taboo.

the cycle club - original format

The Cycle Club (Maandverbond) happens live during 28 days -the length of an average menstrual cycle- on 28 Telegram channels. Participants can join the channel that matches the day in their own cycle, aided by an online calculating tool. Together with experts, gynecologists and people sharing their own experiences, hosts Dzifa Kusenuh, Lize Korpershoek, Thorn Roos de Vries and Fatima Warsame zoom in on a wealth of hormonal topics: everything you wished your biology teacher would have told you a bit more about. 

In the intimate, closed environment of their smartphone, participants receive daily videos, audio messages, memes and graphics that match the current moment in their cycle. They can start a conversation about it, right there and then, with the other people in their channel. 

Why don’t we talk more openly about menstruation? What is the relationship between sex and hormones? What is the best time in the cycle to shine? And how does it feel to menstruate when you’re not a woman? All these topics and more are covered by the Cycle Club squad. 

Goals? To normalise the hormone cycle, to open up the conversation about it and to learn more about the workings of hormones in the body. Whether you use the birth control pill or another form of birth control; whether you have a natural cycle, or no cycle at all.  

winner of the Prix Europa Best European Digital Media Project of the year 2021

The Cycle Club (Maandverbond) won a Prix Europa, in the category 'Digital Media Projects'! Prix Europa is the biggest European broadcasting festival and competition for tv, radio and digital media projects. On October 15th 2021 we received the award in Potsdam. 

Other awards/nominations: 
- selected for IDFA Doclab 2021
- winner of the NPO Innovation Award 2022
- nominated for De Tegel 2022, category Online
- selected for Nederlands Film Festival 2022

the cycle club squad

Dzifa Kusenuh (host)

(she/her)

Dzifa is an actress and presenter. She played in the movie Gelukzoekers and in the children's program Checkpoint. Dzifa is also one of the faces of Spuiten & Slikken. During the weekend she can be heard as a sidekick in the show WieWaWeekend on 3FM.

Lize Korpershoek (reporter)

(she/her)

Lize Korpershoek makes, illustrates and presents videos (for Albert Heijn, LINDA.tv) and her own social channels. She made the much-discussed VPRO documentary Mijn seks is stuk. In 2019, she was named Best Instagrammer by The Best Social Awards.
 

Thorn Roos de Vries (reporter)

(they/them)

Started performing as Drag King in 2017, joined the House of Vineyard as Thorn Vineyard. Nominated for New Upcoming Talent at the Superball 2020. Has the podcast series Couplegoals with their partner Mandy Woelkens. Plays in SpangaS: De Campus, and as the first non-binary actor in the feature film Anne+.

Fatima Warsame (reporter)

(she/her)

Is a freelance journalist and presenter. Presents the monthly online talk show Late Night Talks. Worked on various editorial boards, such as NOS Stories, FunX and RTL. She has also made the documentary Breaking Borders, together with Barbara Vollebregt.
 

The Cycle Club is a project by VPRO Medialab and was funded by NPO Innovation.

special 10-day edition: the cycle club @IDFA

During IDFA 2021 we organized a special ‘light flow’ edition of The Cycle Club. A 10-day, condensed version of the original Cycle Club experience. 

Over 300 participants received daily messages, short videos and graphics on their smartphone, and could join in the conversation, right there & then. 

In the IDFA Doclab exhibition in Tolhuistuin, we installed a 3D, cuddly uturus, custom-made for the occasion by artist Lies Aris (Storyshop).  The Cycle Club was part of the 
 

credits

Director & script 
Eefje Suijkerbuijk

Creative director 
Annelies Termeer 

Producers 
Eritia De Jonghe, Rens Mevissen 

Hosts
Dzifa Kusenuh, Lize Korpershoek, Thorn Roos de Vries, Fatima Warsame

Research
Charissa Promes, Vivienne de Wolff

Online specialist and original concept
Marlijn Aarts

Illustration & animations
Jikke Lesterhuis

Editor
Naomi Bais

Development Telegram
Yannick Gregoire
 

international sales

Dutch Core Media
Lorraine JooreSales Executive
l.joore@dutch-core.nl