Stories of A

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Shot in Paris in 1973, this feminist film on the fight for abortion rights was banned as soon it was released. A large-scale game of hide-and-seek ensued, as activists created an underground distribution network, hiding the film from the police — and creating an effective model for cinema as an act of civil disobedience in the process.

Faced with a tide of illegal abortions leading to death and sterility, a group of doctors decided to offer abortions for free, and to be public about it. Charles Belmont and Marielle Issartel originally set out to make an educational film about the movement. Instead, they created a feature-length feminist classic.

In STORIES OF A, we sit in on meetings with women and doctors, and witness abortions being performed. The film also takes us into the streets, as women demonstrate in front of hospitals, facing police repression. Perhaps most importantly, STORIES OF A amplifies the voices of women seeking abortions: a high school girl living in a shelter, two Algerian women who already have numerous children. And then there is Aïcha, an outspoken disabled immigrant woman on a hunger strike, who opens and closes the film.

Recently restored, STORIES OF A is both a fascinating historical document, and a reminder of the critical importance of access to abortion.

“Stories of A is a stirring, frank, over-the-top plea for reproductive freedom, and an equally violent indictment of anachronistic legislation. The human testimonies and true-to-life documents that comprise it explain better than many theoretical commentaries how urgent it is to try and provide education and to amend a flouted law.” —Le Monde, 1973

“A clear, distinct, powerful plea in favor of abortion freedom.” —Film-Tract, 1973

“You should watch Stories of A—and then watch it again.” —Liberation, 1974

“Histoires d’A has remained an iconic film, between the upheaval that followed its prohibition in November 1973 by Minister of Culture Maurice Druon, and the raucous trajectory of its militant renown. That’s precisely because it was not limited to a small circle of activists. This film is simultaneously the work of a filmmaker rooted in the tradition of direct cinema and the result of a campaign waged by trailblazers who had decided to jointly take the offensive.” —France Culture, October 20, 2022

“Histoires d’A. is not only important for its turbulent history and militant effectiveness in the path to the Veil Law (1975) and liberalizing abortion: it’s also, and by no means secondarily, a very beautiful film that captures a shift in French society and offers a striking look back that also reflects today’s struggles. Nothing here aims to shock, only to show and state, and therefore to demystify. By simply describing a practice, the film eliminates the moral or metaphysical stances that muddy the issue of abortion.” —Le Monde, September 27, 2022

“A precious testament to militant struggle, the film is also important for the breadth of its insight into the female condition. It uncovers the seething, unfiltered voices of wives, single mothers—of women from every walk of life, who tell the story of their marriages, homes, the slavery of domestic life, and the pressure from the medical community to “make babies,” and not terminate unwanted pregnancies. A strong, hard-hitting documentary that draws from the tensions and debates that stirred up a divided society ready to crack.” —Télérama, No. 3792, September 14, 2022

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Main credits

Belmont, Charles (film director)

Other credits

Cinematography, Philippe Rouselot; editing, Marielle Issartel; music, Jean Schwarz.

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Keywords

; "Stories of A"; Icarus Films; France; French; documentary; doc; health; women's studies; social movements; human rights; politics; abortion; gender; reproductive rights; activism;