Our Bodies Our Doctors 2018
Distributed by Collective Eye Films, 1315 SE 20th Ave. #3, Portland OR 97214; 971-236-2056
Produced by David Cress and Jan Haaken
Directed by Jan Haaken
Streaming, 80 mins
College - General Adult
Abortion; Health Services; Women’s Health
Date Entered: 03/06/2020
Reviewed by Kay Hogan Smith, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Lister Hill Library of the Health SciencesAbortion and feminism have been historically intertwined, but surprisingly the provider’s role in this special aspect of women’s reproductive health has been somewhat peripheral to the often-heated discussion. The documentary Our Bodies Our Doctors brings the doctors who make abortion care part of their practices front and center. Through the eyes and voices of abortion care providers practicing in both blue and red states, the film addresses the stigma and fear surrounding this work as well as the deep commitment to supporting women through compassionate, nonjudgmental health care. Along the way, interviews with experts provide historical context for this moment in our ever-deepening culture wars. While including glimpses of the passions driving the question of legal abortion in the United States, Our Bodies Our Doctors progresses on a curiously dispassionate note – these doctors have a job to do even if they are sometimes disparaged and even attacked for doing that job. But of course, their work and the film itself are anything but dull. Highly recommended for both health professional and general audiences.
Awards
Best Documentary Feature Film at Portland International Film Festival 2018