Moondogs

Moondogs is a feminist retelling of a coming-of-age story. In this short film set in rural west Texas, three teenage girls hit the road after the realization that one of them is pregnant. This film aims to raise awareness around the complexities of teen pregnancy and how our country has systematically dismantled reproductive health rights. It's about the often-overlooked ways young women are forced to navigate their bodily autonomy, interpersonal relationships, and physical surroundings on the road to self-discovery.

Moondogs is based on my experiences growing up in the desert of New Mexico and serves as a portrait of the young women I grew up with and our unique experiences and struggles. It’s based on grappling with our changing selves and holding onto any information that could give us insight on how to retain our own autonomy. We grew up with constant suffocation of sexual pressure and potential sexual assault and the overall monitoring of our bodies and the way we behaved. New Mexico was one of the states with the highest rates of teen pregnancy, so we were constantly informed by such situations. After we graduated, we were confronted with extreme transformations: high school was over, and we were entering a new stage of our lives. There was a sense of finite time, of the possibility of new freedoms, of new responsibilities.

The characters in the story are outsiders in their high school and want nothing more than to escape to bigger things, unsatisfied with rural life. Their plan was to set off on the road to celebrate their future escape from their rural hometown, to have one last adventure before heading down different paths. When Mia gets pregnant, the plan changes. They make their way to the closest abortion clinic which is a long drive from their hometown. After the ultrasound, Mia is confronted with the complexities of the situation and her feelings surrounding it. This is where the personal meets the political. The girls have to come back to the clinic the next day so they camp overnight in the desert and take drugs. The story unfolds as the three girls confront their own bodily autonomy, their sexuality, and the future.

We want to bring light to the fact rural women in Texas on average have to travel around 100 miles to receive reproductive health and abortion services and the mandatory waiting period and ultrasound Texas requires. This puts rural and impoverished women at risk as they have to figure out accommodations and potential financial complications. The characters themselves are in-depth young women trying to find themselves despite the obstacles set up against them.

Aside from the story in front of the camera, we strive for representation behind the camera with a diverse female-centric crew. During the distribution and promotion process, we will make it our goal to raise awareness surrounding abortion rights in Texas. We are dedicated to combining the personal and political so we may impact audiences and spread empathy surrounding reproductive health rights.