“The Janes”, a 2022 documentary of disturbing relevance, takes us back to an era when women lacked a right to abortion, prior to the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. The Janes were an underground collective of courageous women from all walks of life who had experienced bad, illegal abortions themselves and who were determined to save other women from the experience. They organized a secret network providing low-cost or free abortion services for about 11,000 women in the Chicago area between 1968 and 1972. This was a time when abortions were illegal, and it was a felony in Illinois to even distribute abortion information.

The Janes show us what is possible when we organize.

Directed by Emma Pildes and Tia Lessin.
102 minutes