St Andrews CSC Playlist Initiative: Filming Abortion



It is challenging to write an introduction to this topic. At first I lamented the topicality, given the news of restrictions on bodily autonomy consistently applied to those who can fall pregnant. The news out of the US (Texas) and Poland have been particularly upsetting inrecent days. But then there are the silences and stigmatisation around the subject, that make it so difficult for women, non-binary people, and others who can become pregnant to share their experiences and be reassured they are not alone. This conflict was beautifully expressed in the performance of Cecily Strong on Saturday Night Live last week, in her ‘Goober the Clown Who Got an Abortion When She Was 23<https://www.vox.com/culture/2021/11/9/22772533/saturday-night-live-goober-the-clown-abortion-cecily-strong>’.


Combatting the unsayable is accomplished many times over in Maria San Filippo’s list, Filming Abortion<https://screenculture.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2021/11/11/themed-playlist-filming-abortion/>, which featuresfilms that represent abortion in resonant, hopefully mind-changing ways. It has been produced as a tie-in to her forthcoming Flow column entitled ‘Maude & Me; Responsibilities of a Feminist Media Critic’.


https://screenculture.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2021/11/11/themed-playlist-filming-abortion/


Goober the Clown: https://youtu.be/exSZQICbSb8

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As always, this is also a Call for Playlists. This is a project that relies on the imagination and contribution of others. If you have a monograph, edited volume, special journal issue, or conference— consider a playlist to showcase the ideas through a selection of media viewing.


It’s all about a tour through your research, teaching, production, and programming interests that I’d like. Something that expands all of our horizons through shared viewing and listening, and through your expertise. So please get in touch!



Be Well,


Leshu


Dr Leshu Torchin
Head of Department and Acting Director of Impact
Senior Lecturer in Film Studies
Department of Film Studies
University of St Andrews
101a North Street
St Andrews, UK
KY16 9AD
Tel: 44 (0) 1334 467 476

Pronouns: she | her | hers

Staff Profile: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/film-studies/people/lt40

Consider perusing and/or contributing to the Themed Playlist Initiative:
https://screenculture.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/category/media-playlists/


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