“1973,” an independent film directed by Tulane University alumnus Nick Loeb, was set to begin filming in the greater New Orleans area last Friday, on sets including Tulane’s Uptown campus.

According to a report published by NOLA.com, the film focuses on the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. “1973” aims to reveal “the untold story of how people lied, how the media lied and how the courts were manipulated” in the case regarding abortion rights.

Some members of the Tulane community have spoken out against the school’s involvement with the film, feeling that its content does not align with the school’s values.

Victoria Tiburzi, a Tulane senior and summer intern for the New Orleans Abortion Fund, said she feels that the film acts as propaganda against reproductive justice.

“By allowing ‘1973’ to film on Tulane’s campus, the university is prioritizing earning money from filming over standing firmly behind justice for women,” Tiburzi said. “The university should uphold its own values of integrity, responsibility and respect by not allowing the filming of this movie on Tulane’s campus.”

Michael Strecker, Executive Director of Public Relations for Tulane University, said that the process for approving films to be shot on Tulane property goes directly through the Office of Communications and Marketing. Scripts are not required to go through a process of review before films are approved to be shot on Tulane’s campus.

According to Strecker, granting permission for filming does not stand as an endorsement of any production’s message.

“Refusing to allow a production to shoot a film on campus because of the controversial nature of its content is not in keeping with the university’s support for the free expression of thoughts, viewpoints and ideas,” Strecker said.  

Filming on campus has prompted renewed conversation regarding abortion rights amongst members the Tulane community.

“We hope that this movie will facilitate greater dialogue on campus by allowing students who are pro-life and pro-choice to gain a greater understanding about the background of the court case itself,” Chloe Boudreaux, President of Tulane University Right to Life, said.