Gillian Robespierre

The thought-provoking documentary Hollywood Does Abortion is more like “how Hollywood portrays abortion,” which is to say, skewed toward white teenagers in trouble, if at all. Directed by Emmy nominees Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater, along with Mike Attie, the documentary argues that political pressures have shaped depictions of abortion onscreen for decades, creating a cycle of stigma and misinformation. It’s not as if a particular show or film led to certain legislation, the film argues, but that the potency of abortion as a political issue has influenced storylines time and again. It’s a strong and sobering take.