[REVIEW] Brooklyn Horror Film Festival: Give Me An A
CW: Discussion of abortion
Source: Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Give Me an A, an anthology film produced and brought together by Natasha Halevi, premiered at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival this week. The anthology features 15 short films related to bodily autonomy, all created by female filmmakers.
Give Me an A was created in response to the overturn of Roe vs Wade in the United States and came together in a matter of months to premiere at the festival, an unprecedented feat for any creative team. All of the creatives had such a limited amount of time that their instincts were able to create their emotional reactions to the news in all different forms, showcased in the 15 films. Each film is unique in storyline, tone, and genre and gives insight into how each filmmaker is personally connected to the work.
The anthology overall is a success, though some shorts are stronger than others. What really stands out about the piece is the dedication of the team, which was made even clearer in the post screening discussion. The anthology as a whole covers themes of religious oppression, cult mentality, the threat to bodily autonomy, and how the abortion crisis also directly impacts cis-gendered men.
One standout short “The Last Store,” written and directed by Loren Escandon, takes place in a convenient store where a woman named Violeta (Gina Torres) performs illegal abortion services in the basement of the store. In the short we see on the store television that a conservative anti-abortion protestor is missing, only to find her up next for her abortion service from Violeta. Violeta responds to the request by informing the medical assistants that regardless of who the patient is, performing abortions is their job. The short questions the ethics of abortion services and who deserves to have them. We know that conservatives need abortions as well and will always continue to protest after their procedure is finished.
Other standouts include comedic short “DTF” written and directed by Bonnie Discepolo and co-written by Trevor Munson, the pregnancy abortion parody short “Our Precious Babies” written by Annie Bond and directed by Erica Mary Wright, horror short “The Walk” that follows a woman’s walk into an abortion clinic surrounded by protestors written and directed by Sarah Kopkin, and Love Island/F-Boy Island parody “Crucible Island” written by Laura Covelli and Danielle Aufiero and directed by Valerie Finkle.
The only feature really missing from the collection is a discussion on abortion as it pertains to genders who are not cis women. Abortion access impacts everyone who has the ability to become pregnant and the choice to overlook this issue is apparent. The opening remarks in the film dedicate the film to mothers and grandmothers, and while the sentiment is impactful, the language is non-inclusive and is an area for improvement for the piece. Transmen and non-binary people deserve to have their voices included just as the film includes the impacts abortion bans have on cis-men.
Despite this flaw, Give Me an A is a passion project with a lot of heart that tackles the topic of bodily autonomy in unapologetic ways and tells the stories of life in a post-Roe world. It was really special to witness the world premiere of a work from a collective of artists who demonstrate how much they care about working towards a future where abortion is safe and legal no matter where you live.