Unfortunately, partisan politics has come into play at our nation’s highest court; The judicial system regarding reproductive freedom and reproductive justice should not work this way.

The history of this country has shown us that the law is not always fair. Just as our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers fought for us, it is up to us to fight for the right to abortion as a health care service for future generations of women and everyone with a uterus. “Red, White and Blue” is my contribution to this struggle.

Know Your Value: This is also your first step as a film director. What led to this decision and what did you gain from working with stars like Brittany Snow and Juliet Donenfield, as well as your directorial debut?

Nazrin Choudhury: I had always planned to direct early in my career, but as someone who has worked extensively in television, I have always managed to have a strong voice in my work. Film is very much a director’s medium, and my lived experience, along with all the layers and nuances and performances required to tell this story in every little detail, meant I knew I had to be at the helm and in the director’s chair. .

Working with Brittany Snow and Juliet Donenfeld was incredible. I don’t think we could have achieved this with limited time and budget without their tremendous talent, skill and professionalism.

What was so affirming about working with them, as well as some of my closest collaborators (director of photography Adam Suschitzky and editor/co-producer Phil McLaughlin), was the safe space they created for me to tell this story. And I want to remind you that as artists, we all want to tell stories about what makes us human and why we get into storytelling. I think audiences are also hungry for the kind of storytelling featured in “Red, White and Blue.”

Know Your Value: In just 23 minutes, the film takes an unexpected and heartbreaking turn. How did audiences react? Is there any unexpected feedback?

Nazrin Choudhury: The first two people to hear me tell the story verbally before I sat down to write the script were my two daughters, Iman and Alyssa, who also sang the song “Bloody Typical” that was playing on the car radio during the road trip scene.

As soon as I received the script, which I wrote fairly quickly, I sent it to the team I wanted to create; They all got the same visceral impact from the words on the page that you may have heard. I heard others discussing.

The finished film went on to have the same impact on everyone who watched it. It has been personally rewarding to see our audience grasp the many layers and meanings in the 23 minutes we tell this story. We have always said that this issue and this story are beyond partisanship and even politicization.

We’ve received numerous messages from people saying the film challenged their preconceptions and allowed them to access an often thorny subject with humility and humanity. In some cases, it has helped change people’s minds and fueled their decisions to join the fight to preserve our bodily autonomy.

My learning curve while watching this movie came from realizing how many women carry the truth of having abortions as a guilty and shameful secret. We need to free them from this guilt and shame because it’s not something they should be carrying. In doing so, we also need to address the widespread trauma that many of us still experience from difficult or unwanted pregnancies.

Know Your Value: How did you respond to the criticism towards the film?

Nazrin Choudhury: Criticism and debate are part of a healthy democracy. When we treat each other with respect, humanity and compassion, it paves the way for dialogue and conversations that can be meaningful.

This film was written to challenge our own ideas, including those of us who think we are liberal and progressive-minded, as well as those of us who have an incredibly rigid or extreme viewpoint.

I think that’s what’s been so disappointing about our political system and the landscape since the 2016 election. We stopped talking to each other.

I welcome every opportunity this film provides for thoughtful and meaningful exchange. We can and should all walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. I’m particularly excited that this film and subject matter helped reunite family members after several years of polarization.

Know Your Value: Who are you talking to with this feature and what do you hope it will accomplish?

Nazrin Choudhury: This movie is about a politicized issue.

Yet I wrote this movie for everyone in America: for the people who lived it but couldn’t tell it themselves; For healthcare workers, doctors, and nurses, as well as reproductive rights and justice organizations, who are on the front lines of this fight to ensure and protect our reproductive rights.

This is a thank you for your service, as well as a reminder to millions of Americans, including me, who should remember the words of President Abraham Lincoln: Our government is a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Our elected officials are there to serve us, not the other way around, and that is the most accurate definition of democracy that exists in my mind.