Posted on 01/22/2009 12:27:49 PM PST by Between the Lines
WASHINGTON – "22 Weeks" has the images and sound effects of a horror flick, but it isn't one. Instead, it's based on a true account of a woman who sought a late-term abortion but found herself living a nightmare.
In the 25-minute featurette, Angela, played by Natalie Wenninger, wakes up in her motel room covered in blood. She rushes to the clinic where she had been injected with a needle the day before to abort her baby 22 weeks into her pregnancy. She’s bleeding profusely and is having contractions but is left alone in a dirty room at the clinic. Something is wrong.
Earlier in the film, we find a much different Angela at the EPOC Clinic in Orlando, Fla., as she is midway through the second trimester of her pregnancy. There, Angela is presented with two options: the suction method or an injection to the baby's heart.
She chooses the latter, convinced by employees that the procedure will not cause the baby any pain. She would simply have a stillborn birth the following day. To her, the suction method is a monstrous act.
After the procedure, she is met by a group of pro-life advocates outside the clinic. When one Christian tries to convince her to save the baby, Angela replies, "God was never raped."
While there a several uncomfortable moments when Angela experiences some complications, the shocking scene near the end comes as she has given birth to her baby on a toilet.
"He's alive!" Angela screams, shocked that the baby was not dead like the employees had assured he would be when born.
But the mother is even more horrified when the employees, who respond slowly to her cries, deny the baby is living, do not help her and lock her in the bathroom.
"He's alive and they won't help me!" Angela tells her friend on the phone. "I don't want this anymore ... I made a mistake! Call 911!"
As Angela waits for help, she holds the baby close to her, telling her son, "I'm so sorry" and "I love you so much," and wishing she had another chance.
When the ambulance arrives at the clinic, the employees try to turn them away, insisting that no one placed a 911 call.
"22 Weeks" is based on an article by World Net Daily, which published the true testimonies of the real mother, Angele, in 2005. And while what was depicted in the film was horrifying enough, Angele said what actually happened was even worse.
The baby, whom Angele had named Rowan, died 10 minutes after the 911 call by her friend due to negligence. The doctor, Jim Perper, who administered the injection, was not prosecuted.
Angele, who has not released her last name, attended the free screening of the film at Union Station's Phoenix Theaters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday as another way of going public with her experience.
The film, which was completed in August 2008, has only been shown in around seven cities in the United States as well as Puerto Rico, where producer Ángel Manuel Soto is from. This was his first film.
Soto, who has partnered with pro-life organizations BornAliveTruth.org and Operation Rescue to promote the film, hopes awareness of the movie and the disturbing practices at abortion clinics will spread by word of mouth.
"This is really happening ... [even] this very day despite the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act," said Jill Stanek of BornAliveTruth.org at the Washington screening.
With limited resources and funding, Soto is largely relying on viewers to get the word out and show the film, which was available for DVD purchase at the screenings. Requests for screenings can also be made at the film's website 22weeksthemovie.com.
After being moved to tears, viewers at the Washington screening expressed their willingness to help. One viewer, who said she had an abortion, told Soto she would show the film to her church of 20,000 members. Another encouraged Soto to get the film in the hands of President Barack Obama, who is pro-choice.
"Since he (Obama)'s advocating abortion, he should watch it," noted the viewer, who said she will write a letter to the president.
Obama and his pro-abortion decisions were indirectly mentioned in a scene in "22 Weeks," but Stanek, whose organization had publicized last year Obama's pro-abortion record, said the message of the film is not a political one.
I’m guessing this won’t be found at the “comedy” section of Blockbuster??
If Obama had his way, it would be illegal to even make this film.
a man with no soul, like Obama will never care about what happens to one woman punished with a baby.
No but college universities will catalog it in the fiction department.
I’d be surprised it it’s found at Blockbuster, Netflix, or any other large, left leaning movie rental co.
Pro-choice people know just like everybody else that it is a BABY. It will take an act of God to change the hearts and minds of people. The cultural in this country has accepted the evil of abortion but what drives me insane are the so called Christians who support abortion. And let us not forget the support of hollywood and we support hollywood by paying to see their films and programs. There really needs to more of a boycott of hollywood especially the way Bush was treated and now the absolute worship of Obama,the most pro-choice president ever. When will Christians really show hollywood they will no longer support them because of their liberal stands that opposes anything Christian. Without their beloved fan base there will be no financial support for their movies. It’s like hollywood is an anti-life terrorists and we financial support them.And let us not forget the way hollywood abuses the sacred name of our Lord in their movies and acceptance speeches for all those many awards they give to themselves.
BO voted against the Born Alive Bill when it came up for a vote in the IL legislature. This monster is now President.
Just out of curiosity, why do you say Blockbuster and Netflx are "left leaning"?
I think Wayne Huizenga is still the CEO of Blockbuster and he's been very critical of Obama. Additionally, Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, was the target of CA Democrat legislators' ire when he, as a member of the State Board of Education, was promoting more English instruction for public school students.
Sometimes....I just wish....these pregnant women would be asked the same question...
Do you want to a suction death or a needle to the heart death?
...don't worry, it won't hurt!
Common sense...if there is any left in this world....would tell a person that BOTH will hurt...and the baby will feel it!
OR
You can have a sharp instrument stuck into the back of your neck, have your brains suctioned and have your internal organs removed while your head is held still and your mouth and nose are smashed so flat you can’t scream.
After all, it IS a legitimate medical procedure (so says Michelle Obama).
www.jillstanek.com (Obama’s past votes and quotes)
point well made!!!
Even the 20 yr old non-brutal film like Silent Scream...is rarely shown in any venue other than pro-life screenings.
Reed Hastings also promoted homosexual education curriculum. Also, if you’ll visit Netflix and search for conservative films, namely, political documentaries or fictious features, you’ll find this to be both revealing as well as eye opening.
If you visit the Blockbuster site, and run the same kind of search you’ll discover a similar result.
I am so happy this film is finally getting the exposure it needs. I’ve been following this film since last August. It needs to go viral. Spread the word. Go to the website. Get the film showing in your town.
It’s not impossible to change the hearts and minds of women who are facing this decision. This is the kind of message we MUST begin to promote. We have to stop playing nice. These images are horrific, but for too many years, the abortion industry has kept these ugly things hidden in the darkness. Shining the light on the truth of what they do is absolutely life-changing.
This is what the leftists have done. They have fought hard with hard-hitting messages. But, we try to be ‘nice’ and ‘civil’. This is a barbaric thing they do to the innocents. We don’t have to be sinful. We just need to continue to shine the light on the sin and horrors of abortion. It speaks for itself.
I know 2 little children right now who were born at 22 wks and 26 wks. A little girl who is nearly 2 now, who was born at 22 weeks. She is now a healthy happy perfectly normal little girl. The little boy was born at 26 wks is 3 monthes old now and weighs almost 13 lbs and is healthy and normal.
How true! And don’t forget Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.