ON MAY 25 2018, Ireland voted by 66.4% to 33.6% to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution.
An unforgettable moment in Irish history, more than two million votes were cast following a lengthy and divisive campaign on both sides.
Three years on, new independently-made documentary The 8th looks back on the fight to change Ireland’s abortion laws.
Both The Guardian and The Observer recently awarded the film 4 stars, while the Irish Times gave it 5 stars and called it ‘moving, informative, essential’. Renowned BBC film critic Mark Kermode urged people to seek out The 8th, saying: “The final act had me in floods of tears… This documentary was terrific, very powerful and very, very moving. I encourage everybody to see it.”
While the documentary features voices from both sides of the debate, the primary focus is on the female leaders of the pro-choice campaign; Ailbhe Smyth, co-director of the Together for Yes campaign and self-described ‘glitter activist’ Andrea Horan, co-presenter of the Don’t Stop Repealin’ podcast, as they chart a bold strategy of grassroots activism.
Directed by Aideen Kane, Lucy Kennedy and Maeve O’Boyle, The 8th also takes a deep dive into the events that led to the momentous vote and is described as “a story of grassroots activism engineering change”.
“When the government called a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment, we knew this was one of the most important stories of our generation,” say the directors.
Our goal was to document this defining moment in the context of Ireland’s historic treatment of women.
The documentary will be available to audiences in Ireland and the UK from May 25 – exactly three years on from the day of the historical referendum.
Watch The 8th on-demand from May 25. Choose a screening and buy a ticket for €9.99 here.
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