Educational Media Reviews Online

Mother-Child (2019), directed by Andrea Testa, is a powerful feature-length documentary that focuses on intimate interviews, held in consultation rooms at a public hospital in Argentina, of girls and young women grappling with unplanned pregnancies.

The interviews center on the women’s knowledge and opinions about family planning, their decisions to proceed with or terminate their pregnancies, their support network, and their well-being. Woven throughout the interviews are beautiful but bittersweet shots of the women quietly breastfeeding and reflecting on their circumstances. The film takes a strong pro-choice position and takes place in the context of changing abortion legislation in Argentina at the time of filming. The young women, mainly teenagers, share gut-wrenching stories. One overcomes drug addiction, another survives a brutal attack by her partner, and another, only 13 years old, recounts learning she had a high-risk pregnancy due to an underdeveloped uterus. Many describe a lack of support from their partners and a few lack family support entirely, relying only on a close friend. The subjects’ decisions about whether or not to terminate their pregnancies are strongly influenced by fears, lack of information about and access to contraceptives, and cultural beliefs about abortion.

Unnamed, off-camera interviewers, presumably social workers, offer support and briefly describe the legislative changes and cultural beliefs about abortion in their country, however these issues are not covered in-depth. Despite this, the film would be an excellent companion piece to additional readings and discussion about abortion generally and about the issue in Latin American countries, specifically in Argentina. Mother-Child is a Spanish language film that includes English subtitles.

Awards:
Best Mid-Length Documentary, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. Canada (2020); Best International Documentary, Doqumenta, Querétaro Film Festival. Mexico (2020); Best International Youth Feature, FicValdivia International Film Festival. Chile (2020); Best Documentary Script, Argentores, Sociedad General de Autores. Argentina (2021); Best Documentary Film, Premios Cóndor. Argentina (2021).

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