Since the passage of Roe vs. Wade our country has been torn apart by the subject of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies with regard to abortion. This debate stirred me to produce an entertainment experience that would touch people’s hearts, while even-handedly portraying both sides of this controversial issue.
I made the decision not to manipulate the audience with my personal opinions, but to allow moviegoers to reach their own conclusion about a “woman’s right to choose” after viewing the film.
The movie evolved from the documentary I was filming on this topic. Compelling personal stories from people around the world inspired me to venture into the concept of weaving dramatic film with real-life documentary footage.
Historically documentaries draw small audiences, so my passion to bring clear understanding of the subject stirred me to dramatize two personal true-life stories from the documentary that would represent both sides of the issue. To enhance the information, emotion and relevance of the two dramatic stories we inter-cut them with the real documentary footage.
During production I realized how little I knew about this volatile issue. After filming many interviews I concluded that most of the public, particularly teenagers, were as uneducated as I was on this subject. Women and men, need to have enough information before they can make a rational decision when facing such an emotional choice.
Each time we screen “SOUTH DAKOTA,” the audience eagerly asks when they can see the feature length documentary, which has rich, in-depth coverage on this important matter that touches virtually every person and every culture throughout the globe. To that question I eagerly reply, soon after the movie is in the theaters, this exclusive documentary will follow.
Director Bruce Isacson on set.
