BHelen is a pseudonym; In 2014, a 25-year-old woman was admitted to a hospital in the city. Argentina with severe abdominal pain, which turned out to be a miscarriage. She had no idea she was 22 weeks pregnant, but doctors suspected she had had an abortion, which was illegal in Argentina at the time, and called the police. Belen was charged with aggravated murder and sentenced to eight years in prison. When her case was heard by feminist lawyer Soledad Deza, it sparked protests, with thousands of people taking to the streets wearing green scarves. This heartfelt drama tells the story primarily from the point of view of lawyer Deza (played by the film's director, Dolores Fonzi).
It all starts in the hospital. The attending doctor barely bothers to glance at Belen from his tablet – she is a poor working class woman and this will determine her fate. After a fetus is found in a hospital toilet, the police arrive and handcuff Belén to her bed. They don't do fetal DNA tests, so there's no physical evidence – a fact that wasn't brought up by the lazy defense at her trial. The real Belen always preferred to remain anonymous, which may explain why her character fades into the background here, although Camila Plaate's delicate supporting performance gives us a glimpse of Belen's growing political awareness.
The film is essentially a legal procedural: solid, mostly entertaining, and sometimes exciting. It follows Deza and her team step by step as they fight the system to win Belén's appeal. As the case escalates, it consumes Deza's entire waking hours, causing a wave of resentment in her family. This is a reminder to women about expectations at work and at home – no matter how important your job is, missing your child's violin recital will not be forgiven. The film ends with stunning footage of real life on the streets in December 2020, when abortion was legalized in Argentina, faces filled with delight and tears of joy.
