New documentary tells the story of Ireland's pro-choice abortion referendum campaign

27 May 2020, 17:25

The 8th documentary charts the grassroots activism that led to 67% of the Republic of Ireland voting to repeal the Eight Amendment of Ireland's Consitution two years ago.

A new documentary, The 8th, will premiere online from May 28th at the Hot Docs Film Festival. The documentary follows Ireland's abortion rights struggle, which culminated in a referendum in 2018. The results saw a change to Ireland's constitution with regard to women's reproductive rights.

May 25 marked the second anniversary of the referendum which saw the Republic of Ireland change the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland. Almost 67% of the population voted to repeal what became known during the campaign as "The Eighth".

On Tuesday, Variety released its trailer saying "The 8th tells the story of Ireland’s campaign to remove its constitutional ban on abortion, known as the 8th Amendment, against the backdrop of the conservative country’s transformation into a more liberal, secular society.

"Both sides of the abortion debate are represented in “The 8th,” though its primary focus is the female leaders of the pro-choice campaign. In particular, the film follows veteran campaigner Ailbhe Smyth and self-described glitter-activist Andrea Horan as they chart a strategy of grassroots activism."

Here's the first peek at the trailer for The 8th, via Variety:

In a statement Directors Lucy Kennedy, Maeve O’Boyle and Aideen Kane said:

“When the government called a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, we knew this was one of the most important stories of our generation. Our goal was to document this defining moment in the context of Ireland’s historic treatment of women.

“This is one of the most divisive issues in the world but the Irish campaigners, on both sides of the debate, chose an alternative approach. Civility and civic engagement are critical to democracy and ‘The 8th’ demonstrates that even when issues are deeply felt and passions (are) near the surface, people can discuss, differ and choose a positive way forward.”

The 8th documentary will premiere from May 28th online at the Hot Docs Film Festival. Sadly, it can only be streamed to those living in Ontario due to legal issues. You can check out the site here.