Private Project

My Body, Their Choice

Director Lucy D'Cruz and Producer/Presenter Andrew Gold follow the so-called 'Crazy Baby Lady' - an ultra-Conservative member of the Argentine aristocracy - in her preparations for one of the most important moments in Argentina's history: the vote on legalising abortion.

As they delve into what abortion really means in this very Catholic patriarchal country, the duo meet an Irish expat who underwent a horrific illegal back-alley procedure and they go undercover to expose a religious organisation posing as an abortion help clinic.

Things get out of control at the senate vote where our host and crew are left running from fires through the streets of Buenos Aires. Finally Andrew returns to question the Crazy Baby Lady about her family's dark past and discuss the outcome of the vote.

  • Lucy D'Cruz
    Director
  • Andrew Gold
    Writer
    Exorcism: The Battle for Young Minds (BBC 3)
  • Andrew Gold
    Producer
    Exorcism: The Battle for Young Minds (BBC 3)
  • Lucy D'Cruz
    Editor
    Mourinho, Copa America Centenario, Inside Out, I Won Gold, Bondi Rescue, Pochettino, The History of Women's Cricket
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature, Television
  • Genres:
    Gonzo, documentary, human rights, civil rights, women, abortion, feminism
  • Runtime:
    50 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 7, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Argentina
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    4K S-Log
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Lucy D'Cruz

Lucy D’Cruz is an experienced film and broadcast television Producer Director and Editor with a passion for storytelling, who has worked all over the globe.

London born Lucy, began her journey at Bournemouth University, UK, where she studied Media Production. Upon graduating in 2004, she quickly climbed the career ladder, working for companies such as MTV, GMTV and Sequence Post, before making the bold decision to go freelance in 2006.

In 2012, she formed LuDu Productions, having built up her reputation and contacts network across the UK Television industry, and with a portfolio including; Documentary, Drama, Reality TV, Sport, News, Fictional Film, Entertainment, Promos, Motor Racing and Children's Television.

Having since set up in both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Sydney, Australia, aside from numerous other short-term overseas contracts, including the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, her exposure to many different projects combined with her natural creative flair and passion has given her the experience to create her own projects from start to finish.

With the advantage of a background in Editing, Lucy has gone on to become a talented Shooting Director and Producer, working on a number of productions, including the award-winning Australian observational documentary series, Bondi Rescue. A skilled user of Avid, Premiere and Final Cut Pro, she continues to edit and also Post-Produces, using her own creative drive and direction. A passion for documentary and film-making around controversial topics, alongside a love of travel and experiencing different cultures, is evident across Lucy's work.

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Director Statement

Director Statement – Film Freeway

I am a freelance Director and have worked on the film ‘My Body, Their Choice’ collaboratively with Presenter/Producer Andrew Gold.

I lived in Argentina for some time and quickly began to realise what a male-dominated society it is, and particularly one where women do not have the rights to their own bodies with regards to legal abortion. Being a woman myself from the UK, where we do have the choice, this is a topic that really struck a nerve with me and I felt strongly it was a story that needed to be told.

When the vote to potentially change the law was announced, Andrew and I felt compelled to document the country’s divide and delve into the horrifying truth of what goes on behind closed doors, where abortions do still happen; just not legally. In a patriarchal society, where women are still fighting for equal rights, we wanted to create a film that would hopefully make a difference and spread global awareness on this issue.

I believe our film is extremely current and powerful, particularly in light of the very recent law changes in NSW, Australia and Northern Ireland, and the opposing situation in parts of the USA, where that right has been taken away.

Women are still somewhat under-represented in certain parts of the world and through the powerful means of film and storytelling, this is a barrier that can be broken.