22nd Calgary Underground Film Festival

April 17-27, 2025

13th CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival

November 19-23, 2025

Vessel

USA, 2014: 88 minutes: Alberta Premiere
Archives 2014
Vessel-Still-1_LR
Globe Cinema
Sun, Nov 23 4:00 PM Buy

description

Doctor Rebecca Gomperts sails a ship through offshore waters providing abortions to women with no legal alternatives. Horrified by the realities created by anti-abortion laws around the world, Rebecca transforms a wildly improbable idea into a global movement. Her project, Women on Waves, begins as flawed spectacle, faced with governmental, religious and military blockade. But with each roadblock comes a more refined mission, until Rebecca realizes she can use new technologies to bypass law – and train women to give themselves abortions using WHO-researched protocols with pills. From there we witness her create an underground network of emboldened, informed activists. 

Skype Q&A following the screening! 

OFFICIAL SELECTION:
SXSW 2014
Jerusalem Film Festival 2014
Hot Docs 2014

DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY:
Diana Whitten (director/producer) has worked in film and television direction, production and design for the last decade. She founded Sovereignty Productions in 2008 and was the Director of Communications at Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program. VESSEL, her first feature film, premiered at South by Southwest Film Festival and won the Audience Award in the Documentary Competition, as well as a Special Jury Award for Political Courage. 

press for Vessel

"An intriguing story passionately told, shot through and through with activist zeal."
- Variety
"A fast-paced, heart-thumping adventure... a must see"
- Art Threat

details

Activist / All Ages / Award at CUFF / Female Filmmaker

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili, Polish, Arabic, Dutch (English subtitles)
88 minutes

credits

Director:
Diana Whitten

Producers:
Diana Whitten, Mitchell Block

Website:
http://vesselthefilm.com/

Twitter:
@Vesselthefilm

community

awards

WINNER: Audience Award (Honourable Mention), Best Documentary Feature - CUFF.Docs 2014