Tribeca Film Festival 2026 Review: “Hollywood Does Abortion”

By Morgan Roberts

Directors: Babara Attie, Janet Goldwater, Mike Attie
Writer: Jamie Boyle
Features: Rachel Bloom, Adrienne Barbeau, Steph Herold, Janine Sherman Barrois, Eleanor Bergstein, Zoanne Clack, Gillian Robespierre, Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Renee Bracey Sherman, Tanya Saracho, David Schulner, Merrit Tierce, Julie Wong, Kim Mutcherson, Dana Stevens, Lizz Winstead
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2026

Do you recall the first time you saw a film or television show that discussed abortion? I was in middle school, and it was less a depiction of reproductive healthcare and more of a censorship of it. At the time, “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” a Canadian television show that tackled many issues impacting young people decided to move forward with a storyline where one character chose to terminate a pregnancy. However, the U.S. partner refused to allow the episode to be aired, instead, releasing the B-storylines as “mini-episodes.” It was the first time I truly became aware that not everyone viewed abortion as the healthcare it is, and more importantly, that the films and television we watch can have profound impacts on our understanding of this procedure.

In the documentary film, “Hollywood Does Abortion,” filmmakers Barbara Attie, Mike Attie, and Janet Goldwater explore how media depictions of abortions shape our perspectives, what changes have emerged, and what work still needs to be done.

The film opens with the famous episode of “Maude,” where the titular character played by Bea Arthur ultimately decides to have an abortion after an unplanned pregnancy. The two-part episode premiered in 1972, mere months before the historic Roe v. Wade ruling which protected a pregnant person’s right to an abortion. It was the first time abortion had been brought in Americans’ homes in this way. In the 50-some years since that episode of “Maude,” there have been countless depictions of abortion and reproductive healthcare, and not all depictions give accurate messaging.

The film not only features creatives - writers, directors, showrunners - who have been instrumental in crafting the depictions we see, but the researchers evaluating how abortions seen on screen are or are not representative of the current medical practices and lived experiences. Featuring academics and researchers such as Professor Kim Mutcherson and Steph Herold, MPH, provides more than anecdotal evidence to the impacts of abortion in film and television.

While the film has a standard documentary structure with archival footage and talking heads, it does provide a holistic portrait of the history of abortion in media. We see the markers of historical events such as the murder of Dr. George Tiller and the Dobbs ruling which repealed the precedence of Roe v. Wade. But, we also see the subtle, and at times, dangerous ways language has been used to further stigmatize this kind of healthcare. Continuing to call anti-abortion activists “pro-life” or healthcare providers as “abortionists,” gives a both sides approach that undermines the not only the reality of abortion, but normalizes misinformation perpetuated by anti-abortion individuals and organizations. That normalization has also led to sensationalism in what we seen on screen. The fact that the demographics of individuals obtaining abortions are not reflecting of the people who seek that type of healthcare. Healthcare and emotional outcomes are also desperate from media to actuality. The film truly interrogates this and acknowledges where gaps remain.

Nevertheless, “Hollywood Does Abortion” is not just exploring these differences, but showing the rise in more realistic depictions of abortion. Films such as “Obvious Child,” which balance humor and sincerity, have managed to destigmatize reproductive healthcare. Television series such as “Bojack Horseman” are effective in how they displayed and discussed abortion on screen. From “Unpregnant” to “Plan B” to “Never Sometimes Rarely Always,” there are growing examples of barriers, logistics, cost, at levels we have not seen. Even “My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” had an episode with Paula, a married mother of two, seeking to terminate a pregnancy which is far more reflective of who is obtaining abortions in the United States. The film gives us an opportunity to celebrate the revelatory examples, even if harrowing, of how we discuss abortion, how we portray it, and the conversations we can start being of that media.

“Hollywood Does Abortion” takes a look at over 50 years of television and film, and begins to ponder not just how artists have shaped cinema, but how those depictions have shaped our understanding of reproductive healthcare. We have a long way to go in how we continue to dismantle destigmatization as well as more accurate representation of racial groups and gender identities, but we’re seeing a shift and most importantly, audiences are asking for it.

Grade: A-

Double Feature With: “No One Asked You” (2023) dir. Ruth Leitman