I Took a Lethal Dose of Herbs

postpartum psychosis
abortion
hallucinatory

“CONGRATULATIONS, YOU’RE PREGNANT AGAIN!” and “MOMMY KILL YOURSELF!” – two of the messages that pop up on the protagonist’s screen as she learns about her positive pregnancy test. That’s not always happy news, particularly if the woman’s memories of her first pregnancy are anything but pleasant. The winning project of this year’s One World Festival filled with psychotic imagery and satanic babies tells a story inspired by a Reddit thread. In it, a former anti-abortion activist anonymously shared her experience of an unwanted pregnancy and her ensuing ingestion of a lethal dose of herbs. Suggestive animated hallucinations bring to life the experience of postpartum mental difficulties, giving the viewer a sense of what it is like to have intrusive, violent thoughts that are difficult to share with anyone.

Author: Yvette Granata

Countries: United States of America

Production year: 2023

Runtime: 19 min

Language: English

Control complexity: No Interactions

Motion sickness level: Low

Premiere status: No Premiere

Program section: VR Exhibition: Beyond the Glass Ceiling

Location in DOX: Area C (Ground Floor)