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In a move that could be interpreted as symbolizing President Donald Trump’s alleged antipathy toward abortion, a pro-life film has been scheduled to screen at the White House, insiders told The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday.
Trump has so far eschewed politically themed movies for White House screenings, but he will break with that tradition on Friday when his staff hosts the pic Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer.
The film is based on grand jury testimony surrounding former abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell, now serving a life sentence in prison for three counts of first-degree murder of infants. The movie, starring Dean Cain, opened last year and took in $3.7 million at the domestic box office.
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Gosnell’s co-producer Phelim Mcaleer would not comment on the screening, and the White House was unavailable for comment.
The screening, for now, is apparently a secret, but invitations to some high-profile pro-life activists have already gone out and security background checks for invited guests are underway.
The screening comes as pro-choice activists worry that the Roe v. Wade decision that made abortions legal on a wide scale is in danger of being overturned. In Georgia, for example, lawmakers have passed a bill that bans abortions if a fetus’s heartbeat is detected.
The screening also comes as another anti-abortion movie, Unplanned, is being deemed a surprise hit, making $12.5 million in its first 10 days on a $6 million budget. Plus, a movie dubbed Roe v. Wade is in the works from Nick Loeb, famous for suing ex-girlfriend Sofia Vergara over their frozen embryos.
The invitation to Friday’s screening is sparse, simply listing the name of the film and stressing that food and drink will not be served, as well as instructions as to where to enter and how to ensure security clearances.
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