BEI BEI in Broader Context
“If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed.” — Harry Blackmun, Supreme Court Justice, Majority Opinion, Roe v. Wade, 1973.
Fetal harm and personhood laws are under-recognized anti-abortion strategies that take aim at the Achilles heel of Roe vs. Wade. Until recently, the prescient words of Justice Blackmun were a distant legal possibility, but just as Bei Bei’s case was resolving, Indiana brought feticide charges against another woman of color, Purvi Patel, who was convicted. Personhood laws oversimplify the complex ways in which gender, race, and mental health interplay within the laws that are written onto our bodies.
Purvi Patel was later released on appeal, but the precedent had been set—pregnant women’s bodies, especially those of the most marginalized women, are fair game for policing by the state, and their wombs are the legal and political battlefield on which the new culture wars are going to be waged.
For Universities, Colleges, AND Libraries
Standard DVDs are now available with a Public Performing Rights (PPR) license. [License in perpetuity]
The same package is available at a reduced price for community-based organizations. As with all of our films, if price poses a challenge, please email us (info@incite-pictures.com) so we can make sure cost is not a limiting factor.
Included in this package is:
BEI BEI Educational DVD
Public Performing Rights Licensing (CLASSROOM RIGHTS and DIGITAL SITE LICENSING)
Access to a digital copy of the film through Vimeo
Additional educational material upon request, including but not limited to study guides, guided questions for discussion, and short contextual videos
“BEI BEI is an engrossing and thrilling documentary featuring two unlikely allies: a Chinese immigrant charged with first-degree murder after trying to commit suicide while pregnant and her American lawyer who finds herself working on a case that belongs in a long history of attacks on women’s rights.” -- ASIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BEI BEI is a powerful educational tool that provides viewers a glimpse into the complex interlocking of mental health policy, immigration politics and reproductive law.
This documentary is a great resource for educators and students interested in women’s and gender studies, criminal justice studies, and public health, among other areas of interest.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you are interested in viewing the film before purchase, please email info@incite-pictures.com. We are happy to provide free screeners.
The price listed above is intended for institutional or educational uses, and therefore reflects an “audience” cost as opposed to a home or family cost. To learn about DVD and streaming purchasing for home or family use, please click here.
Information about Public Performance License:
In purchasing this film you will receive public performance rights licensing for CLASSROOM RIGHTS and DIGITAL SITE LICENSING (DSL), to be used in accordance with the Institutional Licensing guidelines set forth by Incite Pictures/ Cine Qua Non.
That is, Standard Institutional Licensing for CLASSROOM RIGHTS:
which "allow unlimited use in face-to-face classroom situations for the life of the media, restricted to a single campus or location. Please note that this license doesn't include public screenings or digital transmission of any kind."
And Standard Institutional Licensing for DIGITAL SITE LICENSES (DSL):
which "allow colleges, universities and nonprofits to locally host and stream to their community on a closed, password-protected system for the life of the digital file. Restricted to use on a single campus and to those enrolled in online classes at that campus."