HARTFORD, CONN (October 19, 2022) – Today, Mayor Luke Bronin joined abortion advocates and Connecticut film industry members to celebrate the forthcoming premiere of ‘Call Jane’, which was filmed in Hartford in Spring 2021. The movie, which releases on Friday, October 28th, will have a special premiere on Wednesday, October 26th in Hartford.
‘Call Jane’ is set in 1960s Chicago and depicts the ‘Jane Collective’, an underground abortion movement made up of a group of suburban women who help women that cannot get access to a legal abortion. In the film, they help a married woman who discovers that her pregnancy poses a threat to her life. The film features several famous actors, including Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Mara, and was directed by the award-winning Phyllis Nagy.
“We’re thrilled and proud to celebrate the Hartford premiere of ‘Call Jane’, which was filmed here in Hartford,” said Mayor Bronin. “At a time when women’s rights are under attack, ‘Call Jane’ is a powerful portrayal of the women who fought so hard for those rights, and it underscores exactly why the fight for reproductive rights is so fundamental. I want to thank Andrew Gernhard and the entire ‘Call Jane’ production crew for choosing Hartford as the location of this important film. We’ve had a number of movies filmed in Hartford in recent years, which is a testament to the history, the architecture, and the character of our city, and also to the work we’ve done, together with our state partners, to make it as easy as possible to make movies here.”
‘Call Jane’ is one of a half dozen movies that have been filmed in Hartford in recent years, providing a significant economic boost to the City. During pre-production and filming, as many as 100 members of the production team were located in Hartford, with many of them staying in the City for months. Producers selected the Charter Oak neighborhood due to its unique, historic architecture.
The film will premiere on Wednesday, October 26th at 7 PM at Cinestudio, an independent film theater located at 300 Summit Street on the campus of Trinity College. The trailer for the film is available for download and for media use.
‘Call Jane’ will debut just four months after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision which overturned 49 years of precedent in Roe v. Wade federally, leaving states and municipalities to protect reproductive rights. Hartford had passed an ordinance in 2018 that prohibited misleading and deceptive advertising at anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers. In Connecticut, reproductive rights have been enshrined by statute. In May 2022, Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 22-19, which expanded abortion access in Connecticut while also protecting medical providers and patients seeking abortion care who are traveling from other states.
The CT Office of Film Television and Digital Media was happy to help facilitate the shooting of such an important film in the Capital City,” said George Norfleet, Director of the Connecticut Office of Film, TV & Digital Media. “These productions are economic drivers for the local economy as they generate increased revenues through new spending on hotel rooms, vehicles, catering, and equipment rentals. In addition, they provide crucial support to our in-state film crews and companies.
“The premier of ‘Call Jane’ comes at a consequential turning point in the fight for reproductive freedom, as it has been 117 days since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade,” said Liz Gustafson, State Director of Pro-Choice Connecticut. “Abortion funds, providers, and support networks are here to help anyone who needs access to care, and it is up to every single one of us, to keep showing up for them. As we continue the fight to protect and expand access to abortion, we look to the City of Hartford as a bold example of progress, and honor those who came before us, such as the Jane Collective, who laid the groundwork for support networks, providers, and advocates today.”
“The release of ‘Call Jane’ couldn’t be more timely. Our right to control our own bodies and lives is on the ballot this November.” said Gretchen Raffa, Vice President of Public Policy, Advocacy, and Organizing with Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut. “While Connecticut continues to be a leader for reproductive freedom—more states across the country are banning abortion and a national abortion ban, driven by politicians who are completely out of step with public opinion, can become our reality. Like the courageous people involved in the Jane Collective depicted in the film, Planned Parenthood believes that our bodies are our own. That is why we must take control and elect leaders who know abortion is health care, who will fight for us and for a future where reproductive freedom is a reality for all people.”
“Hartford GYN Center is proud to have cared for people seeking abortions in Connecticut since 1978. Today, we stand in solidarity with all those in states where abortion is banned or heavily burdened in the wake of the Dobbs decision. To all those who need us, please know, abortion remains legal in Connecticut and we are here for you,” said Roxanne Sutocky, Director of Community Engagement with Hartford GYN Center. “We acknowledge that abortion rights have never been enough to ensure equitable access to care for all. Those harmed the most by systemic oppression and reproductive coercion- women, Black, Indigenous & other people of color, the LGBTQI+ community, immigrants, young people, those working to make ends meet and people with disabilities- face significant barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare, even here in Connecticut. To our neighbors, many of whom have benefitted from access to abortion care, we urge you to see “Call Jane” and take action in the spirit of the fierce and fearless pre-Roe activists: support your local abortion provider and abortion funds, volunteer your time and talents, and urge your lawmakers to protect and expand abortion access.”
"As an independent movie theater located in Hartford for over 50 years, Cinestudio has always been a champion of independent films on the big screen, providing a space for the art of cinema to thrive, and for stories to spark dialogue about social issues and their impact on our community and the world,” said Lew Michaels, Executive Director at Cinestudio. “Partnering with Roadside Attractions and the CT Office of Film, Television, and Digital Media to present the CT premiere of Call Jane is a win for us, the city, and the state. We're looking forward to future screenings together."
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