"Happening" is a French drama film directed by Audrey Divan and starring Annalmaria Watrumme and Cassie Motel Klein. The film is based on the autobiography of French writer Anne Ainault** and tells the story of Ann, a female college student in France in the 1960s, who is in trouble because of an unplanned pregnancy, and she has to take great risks and pain to perform an illegal abortion. The film shows the social environment and moral values in France at that time, as well as the difficulties and helplessness of women in the face of the choice of reproductive rights.
The story takes place in France in 1963, where Ann is a smart and aspiring literature student who and her boyfriend fail to use contraception during a **, which results in pregnancy. This is a huge blow to Ann because her studies and future will be affected, she does not want this child, but she also has no way to have an abortion. Because in France at the time, abortion was strictly forbidden, not only against Catholic doctrine, but also against the law, and if caught, she could be sentenced to prison. Under such pressure, Ann felt helpless and hopeless.
She tried to seek help from those around her, but she found that none of her relatives or friends were willing or able to give her any support. Although her best friend expressed sympathy on the surface, she did not dare to give her any substantive advice, only saying that she should respect her personal choices, which made Ann feel disappointed and lonely.
Her friends of the opposite sex take the opportunity to have bad thoughts about her and want to take advantage of her predicament and have sex with her, which makes Ann feel disgusted and angry. Her boyfriend also didn't give her any comfort and promise, just said that he couldn't do anything about it and let her solve the problem on her own, which made Ann feel betrayed and hopeless. Her family didn't give her any understanding and care, they just blamed her for causing them trouble and shame, and even slapped her, which made Ann feel sad and hopeless. She found that she was so lonely and helpless in this world that no one could really stand in her shoes, think about her, and pay for her.
Ann didn't give up, and she decided to go for an abortion on her own. She bought some drugs on the black market and tried to have an abortion by herself by piercing her uterus with an iron rod in her dormitory. The process was so painful and dangerous that she had to endure intense pain and blood loss, and she almost died. But her abortion was not successful, because she found out that the drugs she bought were actually for fetal protection, and she was deceived.
She heard about a private abortion clinic again, and she risked being caught and went there. The conditions there were very bad, there was no health and safety, no anesthesia and no pain, and she had to endure unimaginable pain and have two abortions. The first time failed, the second time succeeded, but when she returned to the dormitory, there was another massive bleeding and she almost died. Fortunately, she was rushed to the hospital in time, and after resuscitation, she was able to save her life. The doctor wrote the abortion on the diagnosis slip so that she would not be held legally responsible. Her path to abortion is over.
Ann is back on campus, back in that competitive learning environment. She didn't seem to be affected too much, she continued her studies and continued her life. But her heart has already experienced a hellish ordeal, and her body has left eternal scars. Her story is the story of countless French women, and her choice is the choice of countless French women. For the sake of their future and their rights, they have to pay a terrible price and have to endure endless pain.
is happening is a film that shows the plight of French women in abortion, which exposes the social reality and moral concepts of France at that time, as well as the difficulties and helplessness of women in the face of the choice of reproductive rights. It reflects women's suffering and struggles, and also calls for women's freedom and dignity. It is a film to watch and think about.