bella

Insight Scoop has posted a nice Stephen Greydanus feature on the forthcoming film bella. I had the opportunity to attend a screening in Atlanta back in July, and it's a truly lovely film. It would be unfortunate, however, if the enthusiasm of pro-lifers for the movie were to limit its audience --it's not an anti-abortion screed by any stretch of the imagination; it's just a nice story. Greydanus picks up on my doubt:

Is Bella a "pro-life" film? That may depend on one's understanding of the term. It certainly isn't a tract or propaganda piece against abortion. It isn't meant to play only to pro-life audiences, or to confront directly the convictions of pro-choice viewers. Bella deals honestly and sympathetically with Nina's difficult situation and why she feels the way she does. It is sufficiently nuanced and unpreachy that viewers on both sides of the abortion debate have been impressed with its treatment of this difficult issue.

"I have people on both sides involved in the film—pro-life and pro-choice—that really love the movie," Monteverde noted, adding that he is "really happy" with the film's broad appeal. Bella has even been criticized by some pro-life activists for its lack of clear condemnation of abortion.

An unplanned pregnancy provokes the film's central crisis, but I wouldn't say the pregnancy itself is what the film is about. It's more a rich portrait of family life. In mood it reminds me a bit of I Am David. Maybe this is the best recommendation:

the film is open-ended enough that different viewers respond in different ways. "There was one day where we were videotaping viewers," Wolfington recalled, "and the person who was supposed to hold the mike didn't show up. So I ended up holding the microphone. And what surprised me was how while everybody was moved, they were moved in completely different ways, and for different reasons. I discovered more about the film through their insights than I had from just watching it myself."

That's one sign it's artistically rich, anyway.