Most Americans support the legal right to abortion, and people from all backgrounds have abortions — so why is it such a polarizing issue? Why do anti-choicers have so much influence and momentum, if they’re such a small share of the population? “Battleground,” a documentary exploring these questions and the struggle surrounding reproductive justice in the U.S. from Cynthia Lowen, has received distribution. A press release announced that U.S. rights to the Tribeca 2022 title have been acquired by Abramorama and ROCO Films. It will screen in theaters, virtual cinemas, schools, corporate boardrooms, and non-profit spaces, with Together Films and Red Owl organizing an accompanying impact campaign.
“This June, the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, ending 50 years of constitutional protections for abortion in the United States. How have we arrived here, when 7 in 10 Americans support access to legal abortion?” the synopsis reads. “‘Battleground’ is an urgently timely window into the intersection of abortion and politics in America, following three women who lead formidable anti-abortion organizations to witness the enormous influence they wield. As the nation faces the end of Roe, the film also depicts those on the front lines of the fierce fight to maintain access. ‘Battleground’ is required viewing for anyone with a stake in the future of abortion in America.”
“I realized early on in production that I wanted to explore this issue by getting inside of the anti-abortion movement, to learn who anti-abortion people are, what they believe, how they organize, what their goals are, and how they operate in political arenas,” director Lowen told Women and Hollywood. “I soon discovered that a lot of the stereotypes about the anti-choice movement — namely, that it’s all ‘old white men’ out to control women’s bodies — were being challenged.” She continued, “I began following three women who are prominent leaders of the anti-abortion movement, and witnessed that a large faction of the movement is young, female, digitally savvy, tapped into cultural and social zeitgeists, highly politically connected, and willing to go to any length to achieve what they want.”
Lowen produced the doc alongside her “Netizens” collaborator Rebecca Stern. Nancy Novack (“All In: The Fight for Democracy”) is the editor, and Nicole Shipley (“A Private War”) and Ruth Ann Harnisch (“The Hunting Ground”) are among the exec producers.
“We are at a profound turning point in American history, when people are grappling with the devastating reality of living in a post-Roe nation. Alongside Abramorama, ROCO, and our impact teams, I am thrilled to bring ‘Battleground’ to audiences across America, to underscore just how much is at stake in the upcoming election and what the loss of abortion rights mean for us all,” Lowen stated. “This film and campaign is about the erosion of our democracy — and what it will take to win it back.”
Lowen previously directed and produced “Netizens,” a documentary about the misogynist harassment women so often endure online. She received a PGA Award and two Emmy nods for “Bully,” a bullying crisis doc she wrote and produced.
