12th & Delaware

12th & Delaware is a thought-provoking, poignant documentary released in 2010 that offers an important and insightful examination of the American abortion debate. Crafted by the able hands of critically acclaimed filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, the film explores the ground zero of this ever-grounded contention: the intersection of 12th and Delaware in Fort Pierce, Florida. Here, an abortion clinic and a pro-life pregnancy care center share the same strip of land, divided by ideology but bounded by geography, laying a perfect tableau of one of America's most polarizing discussions.

Named after the street corner where both facilities reside, 12th & Delaware takes a triumphantly profound and rigorously impartial look at the visceral ideological war blitzing America’s landscape. It is a snapshot of the nation's charged, drastically dichotomic discourse about abortion rights, refracted through the prism of this one feverish Floridian intersection. The film amplifies the voices of both sides, underling the fervor, conflict, beliefs, and decisions that surround the people and places shaping it.

Across the street from each other are the Women's World Health Clinic, which provides legal abortions, and the Pregnancy Care Center, a pro-life establishment aimed at persuading women against abortion. Ewing and Grady’s camera stealthily traverses this ideological gulf, capturing an astonishingly intimate panorama of the interactions occurring within and around these places. The documentary is shot in a cinema vérité style, using a fly-on-the-wall approach to reveal authentic, spontaneous reactions free from the guidance of a scripted narrative.

Our journey begins at the Pregnancy Care Center, a place furnished with child-themed decorations, intended to evoke a sense of family and maternity. The center claims to offer unbiased information to help women make an informed choice about pregnancy, but the film subtly exposes these pretentions as we delve deeper into the little details of their operation. The center's staff, predominantly composed of vigorous pro-life advocates, uses different strategies to dissuade women from choosing abortion, including showing graphic images and films of aborted fetuses, medical misinformation, and emotional appeals to women's religious beliefs.

Conversely, in the Women's World Health Clinic, we see another side of the story. The clinic is fortressed by security measures due to constant protests and threats from pro-life activists. Women seeking abortions enter and leave through the back door to avoid confrontations with aggressive protesters. Despite the adversity, the clinic carries out its operations in accordance with the law, providing counseling and making sure women understand the process and implications before they decide.

A unique feature of this film is that Ewing and Grady choose not to include voiceovers or interviews. Instead, they let their shots flow into one another, forming an uninterrupted, undiluted narrative that allows viewers to witness and empathize with the experiences, emotions and realities of all involved. We see the women wrestling with their decision, the clinic workers trying to provide care under difficult circumstances, and the passionate pro-life activists fighting for what they wholeheartedly believe to be an important cause.

The film also presents some disturbing figures such as the husband of the Pregnancy Care Center’s director, who spends his days protesting outside the clinic with graphic signs of aborted fetuses. Throughout the film, we see his fierce abrasive tactics, which extend from public harassment of the clinic's clients to trailing clinic’s doctors and revealing their identities to their community in an attempt to intimidate and threaten them.

12th & Delaware compellingly depicts both sides of the abortion debate without taking a firm stance. It paints a significant picture of a relentlessly urgent issue by getting as close as it can to the individuals in the crossfire. It recontextualizes the abstract debates on women's rights, morality, and religious beliefs in a very tangible, human light.

The brilliance of 12th & Delaware lies in its neutral storytelling, accentuated by the directors’ bold narrative choices which make it not just a topical exploration but a doorway to intimate human moments and emotional truths. It records, witnesses, and displays without passing judgment, allowing the viewer to absorb and reflect on this complex issue. A must-watch for anyone who wishes to understand the intricacies and personal realities of America's abortion debate first-hand.