Piercing Silence

Three women overcome self-judgment and a subtle, pervasive stigma to share their profound personal stories of abortion.

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER: Ninna Millikin
DURATION: 10 min
YEAR: 2011

A carefree teenager and a hard-working woman discover the same news; they’re pregnant. One feels horrified, the other exhilarated. Both choose abortion.

Divulging their private thoughts, they reveal their hidden internal turmoil. One feels punished for her carelessness, but unwilling to relinquish her youth, the other unprepared for her urge to protect what’s within her, yet forced to make a decision.

Many women experience abortion but silence surrounds it. Willing to share their stories, they won’t risk the personal costs of being identified. The filmmaker shows her face, and with it a new perspective on the subtle stigma, and difficult truth of abortion.

Screenings:

World of Women Film Festival - Sydney, Australia (March 2012)
Byron Bay Film Festival (March 2012) Nominated for Best Experimental Film

KEY CAST:
Giselle
Helen
Ninna
Anna
Ella
Rob
Bec

KEY CREW:
Abi Binning - Executive Producer
Troy Melville - Mentor Producer
Sara Zavarise - Editor
Robert Harrison - Director of Photography
Ella Millard - Sound Recordist
Michael Gissing - Digital City Studios - Colour Grade and Sound Mix