Belen – REVIEW

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Films dealing with terminations often spark debate, as people hold strong and varied opinions on the topic. Our editor, for example, has personal feelings about it, stemming from the fact that his own mother once considered a termination. She ultimately decided against it when the doctor pointed out she was carrying an 18-year-old’s future child (as our editor jokingly puts it). However, the story of Belen is a true account that begins in 2014. A young woman, Camilla Plaate, sought help for severe abdominal pain and found herself in a chaotic emergency room where a doctor gave her a brief and dismissive examination. She returned from the restroom bleeding heavily after a miscarriage, and shortly after, police officers stormed into the surgical theater where a doctor was examining her. Belen was immediately handcuffed and arrested for ‘aggravated homicide due to kinship’.

The film opens with a shocking scene: Belen receives an eight-year prison sentence after a seemingly indifferent lawyer defends her without a complete case file. Horrified by the verdict, lawyer Soledad Deza (played by Dolores Fonzi) is determined to win justice for Belen, protecting her client’s identity and family in the process. Set in Argentina, where abortion rights are severely restricted, both women quickly encounter powerful opposition. They face obstruction from bureaucrats, intimidation like bricks thrown through windows and even arson, but Deza builds a growing movement, organizing city-wide marches and gaining media attention. One particularly memorable TV interview is derailed by the presenter, a flamboyant personality reminiscent of Richard Madeley.

The film isn’t flawless – it only briefly touches on disagreements within the team regarding the lead investigator’s controlling approach. However, like many stories about wrongful convictions, it powerfully conveys anger and frustration with the case itself. The original trial is particularly troubling; the defense lawyer barely challenged the incredibly weak evidence – there was no DNA, witness testimony, or forensic analysis. It was so incomplete that a key figure sarcastically called it his ‘ideal’ case file. This same figure, now the UK’s Prime Minister, seems to lack real authority.

The terrible ordeal this woman faced, combined with the slow and often unhelpful response from those in charge, sparked a public outcry that ultimately shifted how people thought about the issue and led to changes in the law. It’s a deeply upsetting story, but also a testament to the power of collective action.

Here’s the Belen trailer…..

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2025-11-06 03:23