Heartbeat Press - July 2025 Edition

Service on the Silver Screen - Two Movies, Two Ideas of the Meaning of Service 

    While many things come to mind when someone mentions the word "summer" (including cold swimming pools, refreshing drinks, warm sun, and undisrupted free time), one of the quintessential, if often forgotten, parts of the season that I want to highlight here are the movies. Specifically, the summer pastime of enjoying a movie on the silver screen (theater or drive-in) to beat the heat and spend your leisure time well. While not as popular as it used to be, this entertainment activity is nevertheless an exciting break from the norm. It has spawned an entire industry of films that covet post-Memorial Day release dates and generally stays away from heavy topics in favor of lighthearted or comedic vacation vibes. But sometimes a heavy film is a necessary pill to swallow, especially if it covers an issue that viewers are passionate about. To that end, Heartbeat Press wants to introduce two films that both center around the abortion issue, albeit with two very different moral bents to them. We encourage you, our readers, to watch these films yourself in order to make your own determination about which one presents a better message (perhaps you have to do so as summer vacation flows by like a proverbial lazy river). For the time being, however, here are Heartbeat Press's ten-cent summaries of Bella (2006) and April (2024).

Bella - After a stressful morning at the restaurant that he cooks for, José discovers that his coworker, Nina, is pregnant and planning to have an abortion, claiming that she has no support system or money to manage having a child. While initially conflicted about Nina's "right to make a decision about her body," José also holds strong Pro-Life beliefs because of a tragic accident that he was involved in years ago, and subtly begins championing the baby's life. As the pair walks around New York City - having lunch, visiting José family, and eventually having a conversation on the beach - the two begin to bond, prompting Nina to reveal her fears of motherhood and José to point out the preciousness of every life. Spending time with José's family also comforts Nina, causing her to have doubts about aborting her baby as the day draws to a close. But she's still fearful that the child's life will be one of unloved neglect. In the morning, as Nina waits for her abortion, José arrives and makes one final plea for the baby's life. Five years later, Bella waits with José, her adopted father, on the beach for her mother Nina to arrive for a much-anticipated family reunion. As the film closes, the found family is seen holding hands, mending all their broken hearts. Pro-Life and Pro-Adoption Bella won and ALMA award for outstanding performance of a lead Latino actor cast in a motion picture.

April - In the Eastern European country of Georgia, April, and OB-GYN and abortionist, loses a baby mid-delivery, prompting an investigation into her practice and the judgement of men who, according to the politics of the film, don't understand that plight of women who find themselves pregnant with unwanted babies. Framed as a thriller and as a haunting picture of "the plight of women," the film delves deeply into April's subconscious in order to draw attention to the unseen world of abortion. As the investigation continues, April spirals into depression, the father of the dead baby becomes increasingly manic while searching for answers, a pale lurching creature haunts the film's background (symbolizing the dead baby and/or the fear women feel when facing the "unknown"), and the plight of put-upon women reaches a fever pitch. As the crux of the film, April questions how she can deny women abortions when they are desperate and left no other options. However, the film ignores the wide variety of options that do exist and the greater good that doctors can do by offering choices instead of death alone. The film leans heavily on its message, from a female point of view, and paints April as a brave and rebellious individual who nevertheless falls back on the expectations and judgement of others to justify her actions. Shown at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, April was specially spotlighted for its boldness. 

At their core, both of these films have a message of care and quiet strength; however, their interpretations are worlds apart and carry different definitions of the word "service." In Bella, service means self-sacrifice and the willingness to wade through life's difficult moment as another person's shoulder to cry on. In April, service is the meeting of transitory needs and the defense of personal convictions despite pushback against them. Only one film is Pro-Life. 
    As difficult as it is to adhere to, sometimes the Pro-Life message is one of sacrifice, selfless care, and a belief in others when they may not believe in themselves. As demonstrated by Bella's story, people who are truly focused on service to other will give of themselves unreservedly and will champion life in even the most dire of circumstances - looking forward to the future and taking actions to get there rather than stooping to the "easy" out that solves present-focused problems. In a world obsessed with self, how beautiful are those that can enact true service, altruistically and for a cause that goes beyond self.  

Sources: Students for Life of America, IMDb, IonCinema 

Photo Credit: IMDb, Richland Student Media, 123RF.com