'The Janes': 5 things you need to know about HBO documentary
HBO is back with another riveting, yet remarkable documentary that talks about an age-old problem and how it was resolved by a group of undercover women from Chicago. The documentary covers everything about the 11,000 illegal abortions that occurred and how long it took the police to track them down.
Abortion was considered a stigma back in the day and women had no way of getting it done and sometimes had babies with someone they didn't want to have them with. Before the Supreme Court decriminalized abortion in 1973, it was an illegal activity. But there was a group of women who changed the law even before it legally changed. Jane, a collective of second-wave feminists, made it their mission to provide help to women who were in need of abortions.
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When does ‘The Janes’ release and where can you watch it?
The documentary releases on June 8, 2022, exclusively on HBO at 9:00 pm ET/PT and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The documentary had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
What is ‘The Janes’ all about?
HBO's latest documentary is about the illegal abortions that took place in Chicago before Supreme Court decriminalized abortion in 1973. The Janes was a group of assertive women, who were out to seek justice and help women that were in dire need of abortions. The women were driven by a philosophical obligation to disobey the law and enhance the system by helping the ladies with doing what they had to do.
The original synopsis reads, "In the spring of 1972, police raided an apartment on the South Side of Chicago where seven women who were part of a clandestine network were arrested. Using code names, fronts, and safe houses to protect themselves and their work, the accused had built an underground network for women seeking safe, affordable, illegal abortions. They called themselves Jane."
Who stars in the HBO Documentary?
This is a real-life story and a documentary about a group of Chicago-based women. All the images and footage shown are real.
Showrunners
Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes are the directors of the documentary. It was produced by Jessica Levin, Daniel Arcana, and Emma Pildes. The documentary is executive produced by Susan Lacy, Lisa Heller, and Nancy Abraham. Sara Rodriguez is the senior producer, while Keith Walker is the cinematographer.
Trailer
