Educational Media Reviews Online

By documenting the seemingly endless advocacy work of survivors and allies, Belly of the Beast examines California’s horrifying use of forced sterilizations in women’s prisons.

Featuring insights from both Kelli Dillon (who was sterilized against her will while incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility) as well as attorney and Justice Now co-founder Cynthia Chandler, the film elevates the years-long struggle to collect data and to provide better legal protections for women incarcerated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Filmmaker Erika Cohn expertly frames this ongoing issue in its historical context, highlighting Corey Johnson’s work at the Center for Investigative Reporting to shine a light on California’s often-overlooked eugenics campaigns and program to sterilize women of color, which served as a model for Nazi Germany’s own eugenics sterilization program. At the same time, Cohn includes interviews with medical workers to provide insights as to the financial and political conditions, as well as critical failures in oversight, which lead to CDCR staff committing forced sterilization, with no accountability for their actions. Overall, the narrative expertly balances a deep dive into Kelli’s heart-wrenching individual experiences, while also amplifying experiences of women throughout the CDCR to show the widespread devastation of forced sterilization in California prisons.

Belly of the Beast is highly recommended for academic and public libraries for its compassionate and well-researched coverage of sterilization at the intersection of race, incarceration and gender, bridging a gap in other recent excellent films on forced sterilization that do not focus on currently and formerly incarcerated women. Cohn brilliantly weaves the emotional work of sterilization survivors, attorneys, legal aids, politicians, and journalists to give a full picture of the personal toll and the logistical lift of justice work. Belly of the Beast also features an excellent soundtrack, including an original song by Mary J. Blige, a rare treat for documentary film.

Awards:
Winner, Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary, News & Documentary Emmy Awards; Special Jury Mention Winner, Documentary Feature, 2021 Social Media Impact Award; 93rd Oscars Shortlist, Best Original Song; Honorable Mention, American Bar Association Silver Gavel Awards; Peabody Award Nominee

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