First Look: 'The Devil Is Busy'

The Devil Is Busy takes viewers on a daylong journey with Tracii, the determined head of security at a women’s healthcare clinic in Atlanta, Georgia as she works to ensure the safety of women seeking abortions in the face of new restrictions and persistent protests. The film follows the routines of the staff who continue to provide a range of medical services, including preventive screenings, checkups, and reproductive healthcare, in an environment where clinics often face daily threats of danger.

In cinéma vérité style, the film conveys the extensive, everyday safety precautions that Tracii and the clinic staff must take, including a twice-daily check of the building and surrounding premises for intruders, a briefing for private security guards to escort patients into the building, and assigning numbers to keep clients’ identities anonymous. Tracii, who shares her personal story and what led her to this work, oversees logistics, calms anxious patients, and interacts with the protestors who arrive daily. Grounded in humanity and empathy, The Devil Is Busy is a clear-eyed portrayal of the shifting landscape for patients and abortion providers in America today, and depicts the complex, day-to-day realities facing those working to provide safe reproductive healthcare to women. The film captures a unique snapshot of reproductive healthcare in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a shift that has led to abortion bans and significant restrictions in many states.