McAllen Texas is home to Whole Woman’s Health clinic—the last abortion clinic in the US/Mexico border. Mercedes, a tattooed Latina woman in her thirties who used to be involved in gangs, is now part of the pro-life Church movement, embracing the support from the Christian pregnancy center located next door to the clinic. Denisse, a young mother of four, volunteers at Whole Woman’s Health and helps guide women into the clinic, providing much-needed comfort and assistance. Protecting the entryway into the clinic is Rey, a Latino security guard in his late sixties who is fervent in his religious beliefs, but also deeply understands the plight of the women who arrive at the abortion clinic.
Their life decisions intertwine at this abortion clinic, as they grapple with how their devotion informs their role in fighting for or against abortion rights. The film chronicles their actions during the shadow of the Trump administration, the storytelling bolstered by an empathetic lens and an authentic concern for spotlighting the consistent assault on reproductive rights. Throughout On the Divide, filmmakers Maya Cueva and Leah Galant expertly bring the audience into the rising tensions—and humanity—at the center of this contentious issue.
—Jose Rodriguez
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Leah Galant and Maya Cueva are award-winning filmmakers who met at Ithaca College. Together, they directed the SXSW short The Provider, which was nominated for a Student Emmy. As Jacob Burns Film Center and Sundance Ignite Fellows, they created their respective films that center womxn, elder, and immigration stories.
