rePROFilm • Reproductive justice and new beginnings

Through film and conversation, rePROFilm advocates for reproductive health, justice and bodily autonomy. We lift intersectional issues, using the power of storytelling as a catalyst for knowledge, intention and action.

The rePROFilm Periodical – featuring a new film and podcast each month – is generously underwritten and is FREE and available to anyone.

VOLUME 12 – Part 2:

Reproductive justice and new beginnings

Lately, we’ve been reflecting on how abortion can be both an ending and a beginning. That’s the case for Kat, the protagonist of “Miso,” the rePROFilm Vol. 12 short film selection. She’s just finding her way after moving to a new city, and it’s simply not the right time to have a baby.

Fortunately, she has access to both medication abortion and an abortion doula. Over the course of the film, doula Sophie helps Mia end her pregnancy — and preserve the new beginning she’s looking for.

Last year, in our very first volume of the rePROFilm Periodical, we declared abortion is community. One year later, in a post-Roe world, we continue to recognize the power of solidarity – and “Miso” could not be more relevant in this moment.

We all deserve a new beginning — in January, certainly, but also whenever we need one. As we negotiate our current reproductive landscape, that’s something we need to remember.

Here’s to fresh starts,
The rePRO Team

MISO

Directed by Kelly Walker (9m)

The FDA approved abortion pills more than 20 years ago, and they are a safe and effective way of ending a pregnancy.

Still, we rarely see self-managed abortions on screen. “Miso” centers the process with the story of Kat, who ends her pregnancy with the help of Sophie, an abortion doula.

Over the course of nine minutes, we learn what a medication abortion might look like, the kind of services an abortion doula provides, and the enduring power of emotional support.

The filmmakers have also collected a list of resources that you can check out here.

SOLIDARITY

To match the vibe of Vol. 12 short film “Miso,” we made a list of songs about support, compassion, and empowerment. From Dolly to Gaga, Aretha to Rihanna, this playlist is like a big, warm hug. So, put on your headphones and ground yourself in your intentions for 2023.

And while you’ve got you’re there, , head over to the rePROFilm Pod to learn even more from the “Miso” team. ❤️

with special guests “Miso” director Kelly Walker, writer/director/producer Mariah Bess, and actor/producer Alex Sgambati

Asha Dahya speaks with three women behind “Miso,” a short film about a doula-assisted, at-home abortion. The trio talk about how they want “Miso” to be an entrance point for audiences to learn about abortion doulas, abortion pills, and Plan C, the organization that gives people the information they need to safely end their own pregnancies at home. They also chat about combining advocacy and narrative, creating their ideal on-set experience, and their Oscar campaign.

“I knew that I wanted to tell a story about relationships and how people come together through these embodied processes … I wanted to show how a person moves through this moment in their life and how they connect with another person in real time.”
— Mariah Bess

4 things to know about the FDA’s move to expand access to abortion pills

Soon, residents of U.S. states where abortion is legal will be able to get abortion pills at their local pharmacy, thanks to the Food and Drug Administration. While this is a big win for abortion rights, it will also increase the access divide between states with differing abortion laws.

( Center for American Progress )

Abortion bans don’t prosecute pregnant people. That may be about to change.

We’re hearing rumblings from a couple of red states about prosecuting people who self-manage their abortions. It’s a relatively fringe idea, even among the anti-abortion crowd — but certainly something to keep an eye on, especially if you live in Oklahoma or Alabama.

( 19th News )

In North Carolina, more people are training to support patients through an abortion

Since last summer’s Supreme Court ruling on abortion, demand for training to become an abortion doula has skyrocketed in the Tar Heel State — which is also the home state of “Miso” star and rePROFilm team member Alex Sgambati.

( Kaiser Health News )

11 ways to support a friend who’s considering getting an abortion

You don’t need to train to be an abortion doula to support a friend who is ending their pregnancy. This story offers 11 different ways to lend a hand, from practical help to emotional support.

( Self )

The Story of “Plan C”

Last month, we told you about the organization Plan C. If you’ve been following the news about abortion pills, you’ve probably heard about them. Now, award-winning documentarian Tracy Tracy Droz Tragos takes us inside the grassroots organization dedicated to expanding access to medication abortion. You can catch “Plan C” online at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival (and hopefully soon on a screen near you). Amongst its executive producers is filmmaker Jess Jacobs (“Choices”), a rePROFilm friend & supporter.

TAKE ACTION

Plan C worked with the “Miso” filmmaking team to edit the educational credits that close the film about a medication abortion. Widely considered the go-to source for information on at-home abortions, the organization provides up-to-date information on how people in the U.S. are accessing at-home abortion pill options online.

TAKE ACTION

OUR GENEROUS UNDERWRITERS

Thank you to our underwriters which enable us to bring you the rePRO Periodical for free, as well as compensate all of our storytellers and contributors. Learn how you can support this public media initiative.

Through film and conversation, rePRO advocates for reproductive health, justice, and bodily autonomy. We lift intersectional issues, using the power of storytelling as a catalyst for knowledge, intention, and action.