Under Poland’s near-total abortion ban, a group of courageous activists step up for women’s autonomy. Deploying a fly-on-the-wall approach, Karolina Domagalska’s dynamic film closely follows the tireless efforts of Abortion Dream Team (ADT), an advocacy group founded in 2016. Forming a staunch resistance to oppressive legislation, they provide medical consultancy and assistance to tens of thousands of women who can no longer access abortion services legally.
The hotline never stops ringing. Abandoned by the healthcare system, women from all over Poland reach out to the ADT volunteers, who guide them through these moments of uncertainty and confusion with extraordinary care. In addition to abortion pills and emergency contraceptives, the group also provides logistics support to those who need to travel to other countries for critical procedures. Every day comes not only with this flood of cries for help, but also an onslaught of threats and abuse from anti-abortion supporters. In one harrowing scene, the activists confront a group of policemen about a moving bus plastered with the faces of ADT associates, branding them as so-called murderers. The law, however, is not on their side. Justyna, one of their core members, was put on trial and convicted for distributing abortion pills.
Shot in tight closeup, Domagalska’s documentary brilliantly conveys the unseen psychological toll of this social work. At the same time, the film overflows with the joy of activism. In their playful video campaigns, ADT members deliberately counter the stigmas surrounding abortion with spirited humour. In one scene that parodies Baywatch, the activists, dressed in all red, break into laughter as they sprint down a sandy beach. They, too, are on a mission to save lives, one phone call at a time.
• Abortion Dream Team is on Viaplay from 21 April.
