TRAPPED Poster A new documentary from Dawn Porter (director of 2 excellent documentary features previously covered on this blog – "Gideon’s Army" and "Spies Of Mississippi") is making its world premiere at the ongoing Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT.

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Titled "Trapped," in the filmmaker’s words, here’s a summary of what the film tackles: "’Trapped’ is a new documentary I’m creating that follows the progress of Southern reproductive health clinics as they struggle to provide care in the face of an increasingly hostile legal and political climate. I take viewers to the front lines of the war on reproductive rights and show the human effects of these politically motivated and medically unnecessary laws. I examine the legal challenges, but also the personal stories of the clinics and their patients. Tackling important social issues is what fuels me as a filmmaker. My first documentary, ‘Gideon’s Army,’ told the stories of public defenders in the South who work against staggering caseloads and low pay to help defend people accused of crimes — many of whom are poor and of color. The film was nominated for an Emmy and Independent Spirit Award. In 2012, I learned that Across America, but particularly in the South, abortion clinics are in a fight for their existence. Since 2010, legislators across America vowing to make their states ‘abortion free’ have introduced hundreds of Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws, which aim to rollback reproductive rights. The number of abortion clinics across the country has shrunk nearly 25% over the last five years, with 60 facilities shuttered in 2014 alone. Millions of women of reproductive age are caught in the political quagmire and are losing access to reproductive care. Many of them poor and uninsured. Their stories need to be told."

The film previously received support from a number of different stalwart organizations, like the Firelight Media Next Step Fund, MacArthur Foundation, Chicken and Egg Pictures, and others. But to complete the film, Porter took to Kickstarter, launching a crowdfunding campaign about a year ago to raise an additional $75,000 – a campaign that was successful, raising over $80,000 by its end.

Below, preview the film via related clips, including a Sundance "Meet the Artist" chat with the filmmaker on her film:

Why Dr. Parker Performs Abortions in Mississippi"Dawn Porter’s Trapped has an almost eerie timing — it examines the existential fight faced by abortion clinics in America." – Los Angeles Times// Premiering at Sundance Film Festival //

Posted by Trapped on Friday, 22 January 2016

TRAPPEDToday, Trapped premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. In her own words, hear why filmmaker Dawn Porter decided to tell this important story:

Posted by Trapped on Sunday, 24 January 2016

June Ayers — ‘A Lot of This Doesn’t Make Sense’More than half the states in the country now have anti-abortion laws on the books that fall under what’s known as the Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws. Trapped premieres at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

Posted by Trapped on Thursday, 21 January 2016

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