The SheDecides Abortion Rights Film List
As part of ArtsForAbortionRights, SheDecides plans to build the largest, most diverse list of Films on Abortion Rights out there. Gathering diverse perspectives and sensibilities from around the world – no film will be left behind.
Add a film to the list. From fiction to documentaries, to arthouse and beyond – all movies in all languages are welcome! The theme is abortion rights. Do you have a suggestion for the list? Add it here.
Watch a film and share. Where possible, links will be available to watch it online. What questions did the film make you think of? Share your thoughts and feelings with the SheDecides community using #WhyAbortionWhyNow
Organise a SheDecides Film Circle. Intimate conversations in which we openly discuss diverse points of view, feelings and experiences enable us to collectively change social norms in an inclusive way. It's also a powerful way to start organizing in your community. This can be a small Film Circle with two friends, a sibling, a partner or parent, or a larger Film Circle of 20 neighbours. Find tips to organise below (right after the Film List).
The ArtsForAbortionRights Film List
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Film: A Boneca e o Silêncio Language: Portuguese (with English subtitles) Country: Brazil Year: 2015 Genre: Drama Synopsis: The story of Marcela, a 14-year-old girl who decides to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days Language: Romanian (with English subtitles) Country: Romania Year: 2008 Genre: Drama Synopsis: A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Not Yet Rain Language: Amharic (with English subtitles) Country: Ethiopia Year: 2009 Genre: Documentary Synopsis: SheDecides Champion Lisa Russell's "Not Yet Rain" profiles women in Ethiopia whose lives have been affected by unsafe abortions and the impact that a recent change in legislation will have on Ethiopia's - and Africa's - high maternal mortality rates. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Twice Shy Language: English Country: Ireland Year: 2016 Genre: Comedy/Drama Synopsis: Maggie and Andy, a young Irish couple, travel to England as the result of an unplanned pregnancy, where Maggie will face the biggest decision of her life. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Abortion Democracy: Poland/South Africa Language: English Country: Poland & South Africa Year: 2008 Genre: Documentary Synopsis: Why are illegal abortions more accessible in Poland than legal ones in South Africa? This documentary feature explores and contrasts changes in Poland and South Africa regarding abortion laws and their impact on the lives of women. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Never Rarely Sometimes Always Language: English Country: USA Year: 2020 Genre: Drama Synopsis: A pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintended pregnancy. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Unsafe Abortion in Palestine Language: Arabic (with English subtitles) Country: Palestine Year: 2014 Genre: Documentary/Short Synopsis: A powerful short documentary from Palestine on the impact of unsafe abortion on a woman's life. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Vera Drake Language: English Country: UK Year: 2004 Genre: Period Drama Synopsis: Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the culture of 1950s Britain. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Nirnaya Language: Nepali Country: Nepal Year: 2020 Genre: Drama, Short Synopsis: A six episode web series about an urban young girl's journey to claim her rights and autonomy over her body. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Obvious Child Language: English Country: USA Year: 2014 Genre: Romantic Comedy Synopsis: An aspiring comedian is unapologetically herself on stage. But when she winds up unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand, she is forced to face the realities of independent womanhood for the first time. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: High Impact Litigation in Colombia: the unconstitutionality of abortion Language: Spanish (with English subtitles) Country: Columbia Year: 2006 Genre: Documentary, Short Synopsis: In April 2005, Women's Link Worldwide launched a challenge to the Constitutional Court of Colombia, asking the judges to liberalize the country's abortion law, which outlawed the procedure under all circumstances. This short film explores the process of filing the lawsuit and the debate surrounding it. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Saint Frances Language: English Country: USA Year: 2019 Genre: Comedy/Drama Synopsis: After an unintended pregnancy turned abortion, a deadbeat nanny finds an unlikely friendship with the six-year old she's charged with protecting. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: El crimen del padre Amaro Language: Spanish Country: Mexico Year: 2002 Genre: Romance, Drama Synopsis: Politics and sexual passions threaten to corrupt a young, newly-ordained priest in the small town of Los Reyes, Mexico. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: The Abortion Diaries Language: English Country: USA Year: 2005 Genre: Documentary Synopsis: Produced by Penny Lane. 12 women speak candidly about their experiences with abortion. A compelling, moving and at times surprisingly funny "dinner party" where the audience is invited to hear what women say behind closed doors about motherhood, medical technology, sex, spirituality, love, work and their own bodies. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: One Sings, the Other Doesn't Language: French Country: France Year: 1977 Genre: Drama Synopsis: The lives of Pomme, an aspiring singer, and Suzanne, a struggling mother, as they search for their own identity in 1970s France. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: The Drop Language: Bangla (with English subtitles) Country: Bangladesh Year: 2016 Genre: Documentary, Short Synopsis: Shathi, from Dhaka is suffering complications from unsafe abortion. Like her, each year, an estimated 572,000 women suffer complications from unsafe abortion, but only 40% of those who need treatment actually receive care from a facility. Made by Anika Binte Habib to highlight the complications women face in accessing safe abortion services in Bangladesh. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: When abortion is a crime: Rwanda Language: English & Kinyarwanda (with English subtitles) Country: Bangladesh Year: 2016 Genre: Documentary, Short Synopsis: The documentary highlights challenges women face because abortion is illegal in Rwanda. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: XY - Gugurkan Stigma (Abort the Stigma) Language: English Country: Malaysia Year: 2020 Genre: Drama, Biographical, Short Synopsis: A web-series produced by FYI-KL that asks the question 'What if the roles were reversed?'. Would abortion be seen the same? Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: If These Walls Could Talk Language: English Country: USA Year: 1996 Genre: Drama Synopsis: A trilogy of stories set in the same house, but with different occupants and spanning over 40 years, deals with various women confronted with unexpected pregnancies and their choice of abortion. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Eu Vou Contar (I Will Tell) Language: Portuguese Country: Brazil Year: 2020 Genre: Documentary Synopsis: Nine Brazilian women that went through abortion, and want to tell their stories. Released by Anis - Instituto de Bioética, on 28 September 2020 to mark International Safe Abortion Day. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
Film: Lucia, Before and After Language: English Country: USA Year: 2017 Genre: Drama Synopsis: After traveling 200 miles, a young woman waits out Texas’s state-mandated 24-hour waiting period before her abortion can proceed. Winner of the Jury Prize for US Fiction at Sundance Film Festival. Link to watch (where legally available): Watch here |
How to Organise a SheDecides Film Circle:
STEP 1 - INVITE
Choose a film to watch.
Invite some people to join you and set time aside to chat afterwards. Depending on the Covid-19 situation in your country, you could gather online or in person*. Here’s an invite template to help you get started:
[You can copy & past the ArtsForAbortionRights logo at the top of this page] Hi! I'm planning to host a SheDecides Film Circle and would love for you to join! A SheDecides Film Circle is a small gathering to discuss bodily autonomy and her right to decide, inspired by film. After watching the film [insert film name here] we will get together online to ask each other questions and chat about it. The Circle will happen on [insert time and date here], and you can use this link to join [insert Zoom/Skype/Google Hangout link here]. It’ll be fun and easy and I’ll help if you need. Please RSVP by [insert date here]. Thanks! PS: if you are interested, you can sign the SheDecides Manifesto here [https://www.shedecides.com/manifesto/]
STEP 2 – WATCH
After people confirm, you can send them the link to watch the film in advance of the gathering (online or offline) or you can watch together (online or offline).
STEP 3 – DISCUSS
As you watch, or once you get together in your Film Circle to discuss, here are some questions to think about and share:
- How did this film challenge you?
- How did this film make you feel?
- What did this film make you think?
- How does this film reflect your personal experience?
- How does this film reflect the SheDecides Manifesto?
- What did you think of the words and language used?
- What did you think of the cinematography?
- What new question do you have after watching the film?
Another great way to start the discussion is to ask everyone to prepare a question that they want to ask the group, based on the film they've just watched. Actively listening to the insights of others and creative deliberation is key to build new realities in which all people feel represented.
Here's a guide to help you organise your Circle online.
Here's a template presentation you could use during your Circle.
STEP 4 – SHARE
Use #WhyAbortionWhyNow to connect your Film Circle with the global conversation, and help spread the word. Share what you watched, what you liked about it and what you learnt from it. During your own Film Circle, you can also check out the hashtag to share key insights from other Film Circles happening around the world.
* In person gatherings should only be organized if they are in line with your country's social distancing guidelines.