THE OTHER ROE

LOGLINE: A lost companion court case explodes into view, shattering assumptions about Roe v. Wade and exposing the fierce struggle for reproductive freedom.

Emerging in 2026 from Writer, Director, Producer, Wendy Eley Jackson, THE OTHER ROE blends cinematic into a genre-defying documentary that shares a story almost forgotten.

SYNOPSIS:
The Other Roe uncovers the powerful, long-overlooked story behind Doe v. Bolton, the historic Supreme Court case that was decided on the same day as Roe v. Wade yet has been largely erased from public memory. While Roe became a national symbol, Doe quietly provided the broader legal framework that shaped reproductive rights for generations.

The film centers on Margie Pitts Hames, a trailblazing civil rights attorney whose courage and brilliance were essential to the modern fight for bodily autonomy. Through archival footage, intimate interviews, and contemporary reflections, THE OTHER ROE traces Hames’s journey as she takes on a segregated hospital system, challenges the state of Georgia, and stands before the United States Supreme Court to argue a case that would redefine the meaning of “medical necessity” and expand access to abortion nationwide.
.
As the nation revisits battles over reproductive freedom, The Other Roe brings forward the missing chapter of this landmark moment. The film restores recognition to the women who fought—and paid dearly—for rights that are once again under threat. The Other Roe is a reclamation of legacy, a re-examination of justice, and a reminder that history is never complete until all its voices are heard.

The Other Roe is my attempt to correct the historical silence surrounding one of the most consequential yet overlooked cases in America’s fight for reproductive freedom. While Roe v. Wade became synonymous with choice, its companion case, Doe v. Bolton, carried the weight of expanding access particularly for women of color and low-income women whose realities were seldom acknowledged. The attorney at its center, Margie Pitts Hames, and the woman known as “Mary Doe” were left out of the historic national narrative, even though their courage reshaped the law.

As a filmmaker and as a woman who has spent my life amplifying hidden voices, I felt compelled to bring their story to light. This film is not about politics...it is about people, about the lives impacted by systems that rarely consider them, and about the women whose bravery demanded a more humane understanding of healthcare and autonomy.

Directing The Other Roe allowed me to explore the intersection of justice, race, and gender with a lens rooted in empathy, truth, and dignity. My hope is that audiences will walk away not only understanding the legal significance of Doe v. Bolton, but also recognizing the profound humanity of the women who fought and sacrificed for rights that remain deeply contested today.

This is a story about remembrance. It is a story about restoration. And most importantly, it is a reminder that history is never complete until every voice is heard.

Credits: MAYNARD, Welcome To Pine Lake, The Invitation, CARTERLAND, Napa Ever After

Executive Producer:
Academy Award Nominee & Primetime Emmy Winner,
Sam Pollard
MLK FBI, MAYNARD, When The Levees Broke, 4 Little Girls, Slavery By Another Name

Executive Producers:
Donia Hames Robinson, Ann Rose

Producer:
Elisa Gambino
Every Day After, Welcome To Pine Lake, Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi

Director of Photography & Editor
Neal Broffman
Every Day After, Welcome To Pine Lake, Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi

Writer(s):
Wendy Eley Jackson, Elisa Gambino & Donia Hames Robinson

Music Composer
Eric Huang

Animator
Marcello Frisina