Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver featuring Call Jane, a film about women who changed the world

Transilvania Film announces that Call Jane (2022, directed by Phyllis Nagy) will hit Romanian theaters as of December 9, a brave story about women’s rights, inspired by the realities of America at the end of the 60s. Elizabeth Banks, known to the public from productions such as The Hunger Games or the Mrs. America mini-series, plays the main role. The cast is completed by names like Sigourney Weaver, Kate Mara or Chris Messina. The script is written by Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi.

Nominated in 2016 for the Oscar for the screenplay of the film Carol (dir. Todd Haynes), Phyllis Nagy made her directorial debut at this year’s edition of the Sundance Film Festival with the Jane Network.

The film tells the story of a woman who lives a quiet life with her husband and daughter in an American suburb. All until an unwanted pregnancy risks endangering her health. It’s 1968, and abortions are still illegal in Chicago. Her attempt to find a way out of this impossible situation will lead her to discover The Janes, an all-female clandestine organization that will change her life forever.

The trailer is available here:

Despite the complexity of the subject, Jane’s Network is not a gloomy film, but a story told in a vibrant tone. “It gave me a chance to approach these topics with a light touch, one that opens the conversation up to many people who might otherwise feel judged or challenged by the material,” director Phyllis Nagy said.

Call Jane launches at a time when the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe vs. Wade, ending nearly half a century of abortion rights in the United States. Abortion is currently illegal in 13 US states.

“I loved the idea that we could honor these revolutionary women in Chicago. I felt like, “What a really interesting way to shed light on that time period (…) It feels like it’s a great reminder of an era we are reentering, that we’re sort of going backwards instead of learning from our mistakes and going forward,”says Banks who stars as Joy, a suburban housewife who is radicalized when denied the ability to terminate her life-threatening pregnancy.

Asked what she thought was the film’s strongest message in this context, actress Sigourney Weaver said in her turn: “I think we want to remind people to take it away from politics and encourage them that instead of judging women and demonizing them to feel empathy and care for the most at-risk in this procedure.”

The film was nominated for the Golden Bear at this year’s edition of the Berlin International Film Festival and opened the Transilvania International Film Festival, where over 2000 spectators watched the Jane Network in Piața Unirii in Cluj-Napoca.