Abortion is probably the most controversial issue in so-called 'cultural wars' of modern Western countries. Slogans, monikers, personal attacks, dirty political moves national an local, and - sadly - sometimes violence, are present and real.This documentary follows a group of doctors and other medical staff working at a handful of US clinics that perform very controversial late- term abortions on third trimester, using the murder of Dr. George Tiller in 2009 as a convergence point to which the film will go back several times to assert viewers of the process of victimization of these professionals working at those clinics.I recognize people have very different opinions on abortion, and that such opinions can be highly divisive. Personally, I abhor any justification for premeditated violence like arson, vandalism, drive-by shooting let alone murder as a way to get your views imposed on others.In this context, "After Tiller" tries to showcase the environment of fear, stress and even social isolation that the professionals performing these controversial, albeit legal, procedures face. It is easy to see the effects that dehumanizing people one disagree with have on creating a corrosive environment that doesn't spare them, their relatives or friends. The documentary does a good job on showing the dark side of the 'mob mentality' that commands the tiny, but dangerous, faction of anti- abortion activists who rationalize their own use of violence. The film does is in a non-sensationalist manner, avoiding the low- hanging approaches of exploring the emotions of people affected by these incidents. It leaves to the viewer to draw his/her own conclusions about the impact of mob-style activism and its effects on a free society.However, this strive for an unbiased perspective gets tossed out when the filmmakers delve into the rationalization process that the medical staff performing these abortions go through, and that is the major flaw of the documentary. As one professional recognizes at some point, abortions done well past 28 or 29 weeks are in effect euthanasia-and- stillborn deliveries. The documentary is very deceptive in that it downplays crucial differences between early-stage abortions when, as someone said in the film, the fetus is "mostly a mess of tissue". The idea of euthanasia of viable fetuses that could well survive as pre- term babies outside the womb is a very controversial one, especially when, as it is the case in all cases of patients followed on the documentary, the life of the mother is not at risk in any way. The directors made it look like there are no major difference between claims that 'Plan B is murder' and euthanizing a viable a 27-week fetus because the mother cannot cope with the idea of giving a live baby to adoption while also not wanting to raise another kid.By falling into this trap, the documentary takes an equally extreme assumption to the ones it rightfully show as such on the other spectrum of the abortion discussion. One might well watch the documentary thinking that any opposition to abortion before actual labor starts is the same, and that no other issues or mishandling happens in the process (like lack of proper counsel for early pregnancy of teen mothers). From the documentary implied perspective, there is no possible position other than fully supporting the work or late-term abortion workers, or being an extremist against all rights of women regarding their reproductive health. I was not even expecting some more confrontational content on the issue of late-term abortions, but at the very least some additional perspectives on whether other measures within the health care system could be used to prevent women from having to undergo such procedures in first place. Balancing it all, I'll give this documentary a score of 5: flawed in part, very interesting in other segments.

'After Tiller' takes its name from Dr. George Tiller, the pioneering physician who conducted third trimester abortions, and was murdered by an anti-abortion zealot in Wichita, Kansas in 2009. The documentary chronicles the four doctors who trained under him and now are the only physicians in the world who conduct this complicated procedure.The documentary begins chillingly with a 911 call from the scene (Dr. Tiller's church), where he was murdered. We then begin to meet the four physicians, all of whom to this day, face death threats. One of the physicians, Dr. LeRoy Carhart, defiantly informs us that he won't give into "terrorists." We see him ending up moving his clinic from Nebraska to Maryland after Nebraska passed a law that abortions could not be conducted after 20 weeks of pregnancy.Drs. Susan Robinson and Shelley Sella alternate at a clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Robinson makes it clear that she won't and can't accept every case. Everything is done on a case by case basis; sometimes, a woman is too far along in the pregnancy or there isn't a compelling enough reason to say yes. Sella is circumspect: she admits that she's not aborting a 'fetus' but actually a baby, that is stillborn, and she struggles with that idea.Dr. Warren Hern practices out of Boulder, Colorado. The documentary highlights how his decision to do this kind of work, had for a long time left him lonely and taken a personal toll on his psyche. The continuing threats against him led to the breakup with his first wife and it was only much more recently, that he met another woman and got married.The value in 'After Tiller' is that it shows that there are very good reasons why late abortions are necessary. The most compelling reason revolves around women who find that their babies, due to fetal abnormalities, will be born with severe birth defects or only live for a short while, in great pain. There is also the case of women who are raped. It's quite understandable why women in this situation, would not want to give birth. During the film, women are interviewed (their faces are not shown), who find themselves in these harrowing positions.There are also cases where teenagers get pregnant and are unaware (or are in denial) about the pregnancy. They simply are not emotionally prepared to give birth or raise a child. Before any of the doctors agree to the abortion, they carefully make sure if this is what their patients want. They don't browbeat them into anything as pro-lifers have suggested.One can only feel contempt for a great majority of the anti-abortion zealots who are constantly harassing these professional practitioners. After all, women have the right to do what they want with their own bodies, especially when they're faced with the excruciating reality of raising an extremely handicapped child. Don't expect the anti-abortion crowd, these holier than thou hypocrites, to volunteer to raise severely handicapped children themselves for the rest of the child's life (some of whom grow to adulthood unable to speak or walk). The same goes for rape victims. And what of teenagers who aren't ready to have a baby? Is it right to insist that a teenager who is merely a child, to give birth, and then is unable to raise the child properly? Imagine the consequences to that child when they're either neglected, abused or even abandoned. All because a fanatical group insists on an abstract concept called the 'sanctity of life' without examining the reality of a woman's situation. Ultimately it is the lack of flexibility that drives the anti-abortion crowd. They're not interested in what's going on with women who are simply not in a position (or ready) to give birth. They expect everyone else to make extreme sacrifices but when push comes to shove, they would not make those sacrifices themselves. 'After Tiller' boldly does an excellent job, highlighting the professional job the four doctors do in conducting late trimester abortions. The more people see this film, they will have an understanding why in many cases, the late trimester abortion is a necessity, instrumental in saving women, from a future life of dread, that they have no desire to experience.

Having read about this very interesting documentary, I'll put a stone for it.I think it must take a lot of courage, especially in the USA, to make and practiceanything that is not mostly well admitted/appreciated by the people or the law ofthe different states legalization, especially anything that helps freedomof personal decision or freedom of thinking.The reasons come from the fact that in USA, a lot of people who are "free thinkers"have unfortunately a big chance to fall under the bullet of any madman, orany big power/industry/political leaders rented shot man,whom they are against or interfering their "easy business".It comes also because to get any lethal weapon is just as easy as to buy bread !USA is a democracy, that is correct, yes, but in many ways it's like it is not !The pressure of television, churches and big lobbies is so strong, that inpractice it almost annihilates the democratic system, many times, by the sideway...The democracy, obviously in itself is not the problem, but what it let allow,I mean put a blame on a big spot, because it makes sell news !Political opponents and free thinkers are killed anywhere on this planet, that'strue too, but for a democracy as is USA supposed to be, something goes wrong !Apart that, my rating goes to the freedom of thinking,because I yet didn't see the documentary.I rated it, because quoting Martin Niemöller poem :"When the Nazis came for the communists, I did not say anything, I was not a Communist.When they imprisoned socialists I did not say anything, I was not a socialist.When they came for the trade unionists, I did not say anything, I was not a trade unionist.When they came for me there was no one left to protest."is the only way I can express my concerns about Freedom !Therefore > courageous doctors and courageous directors :-)

I wanted to give this movie a 9 but I couldn't think of anything wrong with it, so I have to default to a 10. Saw it last night at Full Frame Film Festival. Nicely done, technically adept, holds your interest, and tells powerful stories about the four remaining doctors who perform late-term abortions in the US, following the murder of Dr. Tiller. You will hear and see interviews with patients, many of whom had planned pregnancies but found out on a late ultrasound that the baby had a defect incompatible with life or leading to a severely reduced quality of life (vegetative states, constant pain, and the like). You will hear interviews with young women who were raped and initially in denial of the pregnancy, then came to the painful decision to abort in the late second trimester. Should be required viewing for every legislative body across the country. Also for anti-abortion protesters, but that will never happen. Deserves showing on TV, hope it gets a PBS contract. I predict these young filmmakers have a brilliant future ahead of them.