On the Divide

A vital document in a country where women’s reproductive rights are under siege, On The Divide zeros in on Whole Women’s Health, the last abortion clinic on the U.S./Mexican border. Maya Cueva’s film follows the story of three Latinx people living in McAllen, Texas. The clinic’s security guard, Rey, is a fervent Catholic; Denisse, a young mother of four, volunteers as a clinic escort; and Mercedes, an ex-gang member and mother is now part of the pro-life Church movement. Inspiringly, On the Divide shows how opposing views can be reconciled with connection and dialogue.

I think an important point for us as the filmmakers is that we’ve always had Roe v. Wade intact and don’t know what it is like not to have access to abortion, so we want to show what is the reality like for people who have to deal with this first hand. If Roe v. Wade is challenged and taken away, this community has to deal with the consequences. That’s what we want people to understand. It is not a black and white issue. Talking about this is a personal choice, and everyone can identify with that. What does it mean to forget about this debate and look at letting folks make the decision they want to make?

Co-Director Maya Cueva, from an interview with Salon