A SECRET JOURNEY | Omeleto Drama

Three women travel for a procedure.
A SECRET JOURNEY is used with permission from Plum Stupple-Harris. Learn more at lowkeyfilms.co.uk.
In an apartment in London, a small group of Irish women spends the night. They don't seem to have a lot in common and seem very different in personality. One, Mickey, is young and spiky in demeanor; another, Helen, is young as well, and outgoing and chatty; another seems to be isolated in her own sadness and depression. They're joined by the kind, gentle yet no-nonsense owner of the apartment.
But they have one important thing in common: they've left Ireland to travel to the U.K., where they can legally terminate their pregnancies.
The journey, however, comes with its own perils, traumas and tensions, whether it's physical pain or their own internal feelings. But in this ad-hoc community, thrown together by their difficult experience and clashing with their different personalities, they find some understanding and empathy.
This reflective, sensitively-calibrated social drama -- directed by Plum Stupple-Harris and written by Isobel McConnell and Stupple-Harris -- goes deep inside a headline-making social issue, turning facts and policy into a deeply emotional journey that is fraught with pain but hopeful with connection.
From the carefully observant writing to the honest, unvarnished performances, the storytelling emphasizes a deeply humanistic take on a difficult subject, going deep into its characters' experiences. The muted naturalism is gentle and suffused with a soft, melancholy light, framing this small, secret world with a sense of separateness that can either skew isolating or comforting, depending on where each character is at.
Its deliberate pacing and careful attention to the small details and textures of the experience -- including the aftereffects, both physical and emotional -- present each character with distinctiveness and individuality. The writing has the gift of not defining each character by the issue, but instead gives them unique personalities and ways of being in the world.
These personalities often clash, and sharing the close quarters in such a difficult emotional situation often proves contentious. The ensemble cast here -- lead by Jamie-Lee O'Donnell as Mickey and Clara Baxendale as Helen -- offer vivid characterizations and raw yet understated emotion, alive to how we can hold our feelings at arms' length until they're safe to be witnessed.
And ultimately, the idea of witness and understanding fuels the core of A SECRET JOURNEY. These women's experiences are often kept secret, or pushed into the margins. Yet their ability to be open about them -- and the film's willingness to center them on screen -- forwards the idea that any kind of healing, understanding or genuine engagement with difficult subjects must come with both the safety to be open -- and a willingness to listen.

[@Pat097]

This story was so profound. It made me tear up a little. Thank you for all who were involved in making it!! Also, I loved Jamie-Lee O’Donnell in Derry Girls!

[@gabrieladerre2862]

I loved her in Derry Girls too! And just in general, as she resembles the older sister that I lost back when I was a teenager myself. It's a bit ironic that she's in this too! Since the first time I ever heard of girls, and women, from Ireland, often going to London, to terminate pregnancies, was because of Michelle referencing James' Mom originally having gone to England for that reason, in the first episode of Derry Girls!

[@alexgabriel5650]

The lady who allows the girls to stay in her home must have gone through the same thing herself. That may explain her motherly behavior, much unlike the girl's own mothers probably.

[@louisianaboyjames2660]

Omeleto is better than Netflix.

[@dalubuhlemagagula4944]

*YES*

[@withlovemora]

I think so too!!

[@davidowens5898]

No contest.

[@clasencoach]

Amazing, gripping and daring film. My utmost respect.

[@sbm5379]

Best piece of story telling I've watched in a good while

[@tiffanysamuels279]

I wonder if her comment about James' mother originally getting an abortion in England in Derry girls is a reference to this.

[@Indiocean]

I'm pretty sure that Lisa mcgee wrote that episode before this omoletto was shot

[@FlowerChild65]

Not this film, but the illegality of abortion in Ireland yes.

[@mc-cockpot5791]

Isnt she from that netflix show and also 2nd

[@monstcat5439]

Yeah from derry girls

[@Connnnn]

@@monstcat5439 Derry girls

[@monstcat5439]

Con haha sorry

[@s07_savage51]

Derry girls is channel 4 mate

[@mc-cockpot5791]

I know it is derry girls

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

This is real life for many women in the US now, I can’t believe that we have no rights to our own bodies anymore ANYWHERE 💔 Glad they have people to help them!

[@oliviaredito3437]

Killing your children isn't a right. Evil

[@ariaslegacies341]

@@oliviaredito3437cells aren’t children. Thinking a clump of cells is more important than an actual grown, functioning human being is embarrassing

[@oliviaredito3437]

@@ariaslegacies341 to forget that humans are literally cells , just more cells due to growth is embarrassing.

[@Lylantz]

Michelle's life after Derry Girls

[@watershock9211]

there is another similar film with Erin too. Maybe they are just great Irish Actors, but since they play these roles of young girls it made me think a bit.

[@chloemarie7069]

A fantastic short film. Jamie is brilliant

[@ermo5623]

This truth was beautifully told. Great work!

[@nicoleflood8537]

I’m glad to see Michelle during these rough times😁

[@matthewgaskin4215]

Not just Jamie lee rest of the girls hope there keep safe from covid-19 especially Nicola she my favourite Derry girls of all times

[@klataface]

Helen was so sweet though

[@avi10000]

6:25 - "Mushy bit, scoop it out and put it in the bin..." I thought for a minute she was talking about the abortion.

[@clasencoach]

Of course, it is a reference.

[@scarlettsouthwick-camp9786]

jamie-lee ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@matthewgaskin4215]

I love to watch the Derry girls I I love history old Ulster buses as well miss the Derry girls on TV

[@chocolatepoodle6028]

Is that Izzy from My Mad Fat Diary?

[@geneventide5314]

Wow! That was powerful

[@punkcatz7]

Imagine writing a persuasive essay based on this video 😃

[@sheilatorres5312]

HEY wait a sec-that's Izzy!!! aw :3

[@sashabystrzhitskaya]

Thank you 💚

[@MeditaComigo]

Life is life, everbody have right!

[@markwarrensprawson]

Of all the truly deplorable character faults there are that exist in the world, the inability to mind one's own business has to be the most deplorable.

[@ablarousse5273]

So true!

[@davidowens5898]

If you do not have bodily autonomy, you do not have ANYTHING. It is THE most fundamental right, eclipsing all others.

[@oliviaredito3437]

Hopefully you get your just desserts when people "mind there own business" when you are in mortal danger, you can eat your words... hopefully the people who don't "mind their business" will save you.

[@matthewgaskin4215]

Wonder who James Lee is keeping because do see the Derry girls on TV has much

[@al3440]

Alright!

[@anastasiapedersen1]

❤❤❤

[@collinsogombo6308]

Derry Girls character

[@missy5523]

💓

[@kairahaither497]

Derry girls!!

[@sheilatorres5312]

So you mean there is no legal abortion procedures in IRELAND? WHAT?

[@aaaaa4697]

There is now

[@oliviaredito3437]

​@@aaaaa4697Ireland is going down the pan

[@aaaaa4697]

@@oliviaredito3437 things taste better once they've been in a pan

[@craighoekstra1811]

You can see their spirits are restless in them after they choose to unalive their children.

[@hellosweetheart3350]

RIP to the 30,000+ babies who never had a chance in this world.

[@disprogreavette8545]

Haven't you heard? According to many they are not actually babies,human beings,living creatures until the moment they are born. My choice my body is easier to digest when you ignore the fact that those non babies can hear at approximately 16 weeks. I'm not telling anyone what to do with their bodies, or the body of the non baby that has no say, but as a parent who's youngest was born fairly premature to have that procedure done at that far along is nothing short of murder.

[@ThePSmoke]

RIP to the 70,000 plus women who die annually from unsafe abortions, because self-righteous twats think abortions won't happen if they are illegal.

[@solidxangryjoer4233]

RIP to the Billions of children who'll never been born after humanity is totally gone.

[@davidrobson3853]

Pious twerp

[@eugenetswong]

​@@disprogreavette8545Haven't you heard? We all believe that inalienable rights exist, but some of us believe that all of us only get them when we get brainwaves...but still can be killed as long consenting adults say so...and for religious ceremonial purposes, too. I noticed the other day, that we have to ignore some people, because of lack of brainwaves, but we have to be mindful of the next generation, when it comes to the environment...even if the next generation doesn't have brainwaves yet. I think that abortionists want to be God and decide who lives and dies.

[@myageofblue9427]

❤