Julieta Casalia and Lucía Valdemoros have crafted a short film that’s both a quiet masterpiece and a fierce call to arms. ‘Hippocrites: A Broken Oath in Reproductive Health’, scripted by a team of writers including Ivan Blotta, draws you into a world where a doctor’s Hippocratic Oath collides with the harsh realities of post-Roe v. Wade America. The film deftly juxtaposes two timelines: the hopeful moment in 1995 when Santiago Caranza’s character, a young doctor, recites the Hippocratic Oath, promising to respect the autonomy and dignity of his patients, and the stark, oppressive present, where he finds himself unable to provide a necessary abortion to a desperate young woman, poignantly portrayed by Isidora Castro.
What’s truly remarkable about this film is its use of sound and silence. There’s no dialogue except for the doctor’s oath, which hauntingly overlays every scene, reminding us of the promises made and the promises broken. This repetition is a powerful narrative tool, amplifying the tension between the doctor’s duty to his patients and the legal constraints placed upon him. The performances by Caranza and Castro are breathtaking; they convey a depth of emotion and internal struggle that speaks louder than words ever could.
The cinematography by Vicente Mayo and Arthur Daraujo is flawless, perfectly balancing the film’s somber tone with high-quality, cinematic visuals. The film’s poignant visual language is complemented by David Bessler’s beautiful, melancholic score, which underscores the film’s emotional weight and gives voice to the unspoken grief of its characters.
‘Hippocrites: A Broken Oath in Reproductive Health’ is a powerful meditation on the hypocrisy of outdated laws and their devastating impact on women’s lives. It forces you to confront the uncomfortable truth about bodily autonomy, where political decisions override medical ethics, making it a must-watch for anyone willing to challenge their perspective.
