Abortion: Stories Women Tell is a 2016 American documentary film directed and produced by Tracy Droz Tragos. The film centers on different women on either side of the abortion debate in the state of Missouri. It had its premiere at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival on April 18.[2]
Abortion: Stories Women Tell | |
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Directed by | Tracy Droz Tragos[1] |
Produced by | Tracy Droz Tragos |
Cinematography |
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Edited by | |
Music by | Nathan Halpern |
Production company | Dinky Pictures[1] |
Distributed by | HBO Documentary Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Production
editDirector Tracy Droz Tragos told IndieWire that she began filming in September 2014, when a 72-hour waiting period abortion law in Missouri was being prepared.[3] She said in a separate interview from Uproxx that the primary intention for the film was "not to make a political film but to make a film that was personal and that gave voice to women and patients and the circumstances that women face. To really wrestle it away from the political, rhetorical, abstract realm and return it to real women."[4] In an editorial for Time magazine, Tragos wrote that she had to set aside the use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook for two years before filming.[5]
Release
editAbortion: Stories Women Tell had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18, 2016.[2][3] It was released in select theaters on August 12, 2016 in the United States.[1]
Reception
editThe review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 100% based on 14 reviews—an average rating of 7.2 out of 10.[6] Metacritic offers an average score of 78% based on eight critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]
Claudia Puig for TheWrap wrote, "[W]hile this well-made film is unlikely to change minds on the controversial issue, by giving women an opportunity to recount their experiences, Abortion: Stories Women Tell should, at the very least, least touch hearts."[8] Amy Brady for The Village Voice described it "a tearjerker, but it's also enraging".[9] Brian Lowry for CNN called it "spare and sober" though "unlikely to change many hearts or minds".[10] Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com gave a score 3/4, writing: "While Abortion: Stories Women Tell strengthens its clear pro-choice stance by allowing the other side some time in front of the camera, it is not an overtly political film ... it is the women and their stories that matter."[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Abortion: Stories Women Tell". HBO. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ^ a b Kahn, Mattie (7 April 2016), "Is This the First Non-Political Movie About Abortion?", Elle, archived from the original on 18 July 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ a b Berger, Laura (August 18, 2016), "Tribeca 2016 Women Directors: Meet Tracy Droz Tragos – 'Abortion: Stories Women Tell'", IndieWire, archived from the original on June 1, 2017, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ Schildhause, Chloe (August 15, 2016), "Tracy Droz Tragos Talks About The Emotional Impact Of Her HBO Doc 'Abortion: Stories Women Tell'", Uproxx, archived from the original on November 29, 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ Droz Tragos, Tracy (28 June 2016). "Seeing the Complexity in Both Sides of the Abortion Debate". Time. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
- ^ "Abortion: Stories Women Tell". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ "Abortion: Stories Women Tell". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ Puig, Claudia (August 10, 2016), "'Abortion: Stories Women Tell' Review: Touching Doc Gives Voice to Those Directly Affected", TheWrap, archived from the original on December 20, 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ Brady, Amy (August 9, 2016), "HBO's 'Abortion: Stories Women Tell' Is an Enraging Tearjerker of a Documentary", The Village Voice, archived from the original on November 15, 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ Lowry, Brian (August 10, 2016), "'Abortion: Stories Women Tell' chronicles deep divide, legislative restrictions", CNN, archived from the original on August 15, 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (August 12, 2016), "Abortion: Stories Women Tell", RogerEbert.com, archived from the original on September 26, 2016, retrieved December 9, 2016