The film adaptation of I Told My Mum I Was Going on an RE Trip..., a co-production between Liverpool youth company 20 Stories High and Contact Theatre Manchester, has been selected for YouTube channel Million Youth Media, which showcases work by young people across the globe.
Featuring Derry Girls star Jamie Lee-O’Donnell, the film will be re-released on International Women’s Day (March 8) to spotlight the experience of abortion, asking why it is still a taboo subject for many, and why many women keep it a secret.
Wrier Julia Samuels said: “It felt so important to tell these stories, about something that so many women experience but which often feels stigmatised.
"I hope by sharing these stories, insights and experiences, we can start more healthy, open conversations about an often-devisive subject.”
I Told My Mum I Was Going on an RE Trip... is about the experiences of four young women from interviews, using spoken word and Afro-urban music.
Originally conceived for the theatre, the play toured mainly community venues across the UK in 2017, and shortly afterwards film director Lindy Heymann and theatre workers Julia Samuels and Roxanne Moores joined forces it into a BBC/Arts Council England commission, first broadcast on BBC Two in January 2018.
Northern Ireland's Jamie Lee-O’Donnell was cast in both versions ahead of her success in Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls, and has since spoken about the deeply personal importance of the piece to her: “I’m very proud of that show and to have helped continue the conversation.
"In my opinion, it’s healthcare for women. It’s really close to my heart. It affects me directly.”
Three years after its initial launch, the film has found a new home on a platform for the work of young filmmakers, founded by Fully Focused, the UK’s leading, youth-driven production company. With over 72 million views and 410,000 subscribers, Million Youth Media is the fastest-growing platform for young film creators anywhere.
I Told My Mum I Was Going on an RE Trip... will be available on the YouTube channel from March 8 at 6pm.
You can find it here