Exactly three years ago today, Ireland held a referendum on whether abortion should be legalised – and the result was a landslide victory for everyone who believes in reproductive rights. To mark the anniversary, gripping new documentary The 8th tells the story of the movement to repeal the eighth amendment (the part of the Irish constitution that gave “the unborn” the same right to life as a pregnant person), and it’s an absolute must-watch.
“At the heart of The 8th are two very different feminist activists: Ailbhe Smyth, the 70-something head of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment; and Andrea Horan, the savvy millennial founder of a Dublin nail bar,” says Stylist Loves’ deputy editor Moya Crockett. “Ailbhe is a veteran campaigner, while Andrea didn’t get involved in the pro-choice movement until her 30s (in her words, ‘when I was in my teens and 20s, all I wanted to do was party’). But each brings essential skills to the table, and I challenge you not to fall in love with Ailbhe’s gritty, sprightly sincerity and Andrea’s candid charisma. Documentaries about social movements can sometimes feel more worthy than watchable, but The 8th is pacey, thought-provoking and genuinely inspiring. Everyone should see it.” In cinemas and available to stream online now