This gripping drama traces Simone Veil’s courageous fight to legalize abortion in France. Veil, a teen-age Auschwitz survivor, was a French health minister who advocated for groundbreaking legislation.

"The taut drama reveals the triumphant reality of how Veil, her aides, and the shrinking number of party members held their ground...The Law is a tribute to Simone Veil’s power as an individual and an extraordinary humanitarian." - BlogCritics.org

In 2017, Simone Veil, one of the “grands homes et femmes” of France died at the age of 90. While at her death she was considered one of the most admired people in her home country, she was also denounced and scorned by Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen and others for her advocacy in legalizing abortion. The ensuing bill, called the “Veil Law,” was passed in 1975. Thereafter, abortion in France was legal although with restrictions such as mandatory counseling and a seven-day waiting period after a woman’s request.

As a teen, Veil was deported along with her family to Auschwitz. Upon her return to France in 1945 (she and her two sisters survived the war; her parents and brother did not), she was seen as a pioneer—first becoming a lawyer at a time when few French women entered that profession, and then moving on to the judiciary. In 1974, President Valéry Giscard-Estaing appointed her his health minister.

During Le Pen’s diatribe against her during the abortion debate, Veil responded, “Vous ne me faites pas peur. J’ai survécu à pire que vous.” (“You don’t scare me. I’ve survived worse than you.”)

Sponsored by EBIJFF.

Co-sponsored by CCJCC in partnership with Congregation B'nai Shalom.