Planned Parenthood NL is hosting a fun movie night fundraiser later this month to counter an anti-abortion film set to hit theatres across Canada today – including the Cineplex in St. John’s.
“Unplanned” is based on the true story of a Planned Parenthood clinic director in Texas who becomes an anti-abortion speaker, though it has come under heavy criticism for its handling of the facts.
Executive Director of Planned Parenthood NL, Nikki Baldwin says the first thought was to protest, but they didn’t want to cause any commotion at the movie theatre or Avalon Mall.
Instead, they decided to show the movie “Mean Girls” and provide what she calls a fun alternative to watching “Unplanned”.
Baldwin says “Unplanned” is controversial because of the way the information is presented. She says it amounts to propaganda and looks to limit people’s access to health care.
Meanwhile, Cineplex issued a statement late last week defending its decision to screen the movie.
An open letter from Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob, on our decision to screen Unplanned. pic.twitter.com/bkA7tx2NWt
— Cineplex (@CineplexMovies) July 8, 2019
Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob, took to Twitter to post a letter outlining its position, saying he has been in the business for over 30 years and controversial films on the big screen are not new.
He says the decision to move forward with screenings was a complicated one and it was not made easily or lightly. But he is confident is was the right decision.
