Two Films for People Who Are Growing Up: 'The Smell of Burning Ants' and 'Period Piece'

Jumpy images of leaping flames with a dissonant musical score open Jay Rosenblatt's The Smell of Burning Ants (1994) and you know you're in for a disconcerting viewing experience, particularly if you're male. Period Piece is a 30-minute documentary focusing on menarche – a girl's first menstrual period – which is a fundamental experience in every woman's life, yet one that is rarely celebrated.