A Quiet Inquisition (2014)
Directed by Holen Kahn and Alessandra Zeka, 65 mins
Saturday 13 March 2021 18:30 GMT / 19:30 CET plus panel discussion
At a public hospital in Nicaragua, Dr Carla Cerrato, obstetrician-gynaecologist, struggles with her conscience as she contends with the harrowing implications of a new law that prevents the termination of any pregnancy, even when a woman’s life is at stake.
As she and her colleagues navigate the fears of prosecution and whether to use the medical protocols that enable them to save lives, the drama of the deadly impact of this law emerges, illuminating the reality of prohibition against the backdrop of a political, religious and historically complex national identity.
This law came into effect in Nicaragua in 2006. For the previous 130 years, abortions and terminations of pregnancies were legal for medical and health basis. The new law does not allow a single exception for a legal abortion - not even in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is at risk.
Following the trajectory of punitive laws passed a decade earlier in neighboring El Salvador, Nicaragua is one of only a few countries in the world to have such severe restrictions.
The panel discussion after the screening was moderated by Dr Mina Stanikic; Mina was joined by Holen Kahn, co-director A Quiet Inquisition, Dee Redwine, Vice President and Regional Director Latin America Program, Planned Parenthood Global, Dr Atina Krajewska, human rights lawyer and Ana Munoz Padros, journalist. Here's the replay:
A limited number of tickets are available: book now to join us on Saturday 13 March; we will close registration at 16:30 GMT on Saturday 13 March and will send you a link to the event by 17:30 GMT, an hour before the screening starts
A Quiet Inquisition: additional resources