Putting the Sovereignty of Motherhood to the Test: Late-Term Abortion in Anne Zohra Berrached’s 24 Wochen (2016)

Abstract:24 Wochen (2016; 24 Weeks, 2016), directed by Anne Zohra Berrached, depicts the complexity of a German couple’s decision to abort a fetus after prenatal tests diagnose a genetic disorder and organ defects. This article establishes the film’s accurate portrayal of German legal codes and its simultaneous avoidance of moralistic or religious arguments in lieu of a focus on the inner turmoil of the pregnant woman and her partner. It applies sociologist Myra Marx Ferree’s contrastive analysis of gender politics in Germany and the United States to examine 24 Wochen as capturing Merkel-era perspectives on gender roles and familial supports. The film’s focus on the decision to abort as one that is individual and primarily determined by the woman carrying the fetus reflects German legislative policy, which leaves the decision to the woman as mother.