American Circumcision

Last updated
American Circumcision
American Circumcision 2017 Main Poster.jpg
The main poster for the film.
Directed byBrendon Marotta
Produced byBrendon Marotta
Starring
CinematographyBen Slavens
Music byJohn Allen Graves
Production
company
BDM
Distributed by
Release dates
  • November 18, 2017 (2017-11-18)(Fort Worth, Texas)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

American Circumcision is a 2017 documentary film about circumcision and the varying medical, legal, religious, and cultural views on it. The film features a strong focus on the self-named intactivist community and its founder, Marilyn Milos. It was partially funded on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and released on Blu-Ray, DVD, and streaming platforms in 2017.

Contents

Summary and Synopsis

Summary

The documentary approaches circumcision from multiple angles through a bodily autonomy lens. The film highlights many interviews in private and outdoors with doctors, parents, circumcised men, and psychologists. The film shows both circumcision proponents and anti-circumcision activists. Also included are circumcision practitioners and self-described circumcision survivors. These interviews vary between being sparingly edited and quickly played against each other. Other sources include news broadcasts, protests, and medical presentations. [1]

Synopsis

The introduction of the film provides an overview of circumcision, the reasons why it's performed, and circumcision controversies. [1]

Later the interviewees talk openly about the medical, personal, and sexual benefits of foreskin. Brian Morris, a prominent infant circumcision advocate [2] makes his impassioned case for the procedure, largely based on its use to reduce HIV rates and certain cancers such as penile cancer and cervical cancer. Explicit parallels are drawn between circumcision and female genital mutilation. [3]

The film also explains foreskin restoration, showing various restoration devices. [4] [5] Parents and children talk about how circumcision and grief relating to it has hurt them and their family. [4] [6] The surgical procedure is described in detail and parts of a circumcision on a newborn child are shown. A segment focuses on circumcision opposition within Judaism and the practice of Brit shalom. [1]

Medical professionals, parents, activists, children, and Jewish speakers share how they grow to accept having performed circumcisions or being circumcised. [6] Many of them share that leaning into activism allows them to transmute their regret, fear, grief, and sadness into inspiration to make sure no one else has to experience their pain. [7]

Reception

The film was well received by audiences. Critics liked it overall but had more contrasting views. On review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 78% based on over 100 reviews and a critic rating of 60%. [8] The IMDB rating is 7.2/10. [9]

The film's topic is inherently controversial and taboo. [10] [11] Some critics lauded it as brave and powerful. [12] Jennie Kermode of Eye For Film said it was "A must for parents-to-be considering this issue...". [13] Others found it upsetting or overwrought. Bradley Gibson of Film Threat said "As a circumcised male, I find the phrase “intact” as a reference to uncircumcised men to be pejorative and offensive." [14]

Also controversial was the film's emotional and openly-biased perspective on a partially-medical issue. [3] Kermode claimed "The film doesn't pretend to be objective but it substantiates its medical arguments well." [13] and Gibson wrote "...the scientific method takes a beating in all the emotional histrionics." [14]

The film won Best Documentary at the 2017 Lone Star Film Festival in early screenings in Fort Worth. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films". www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  2. ↑ "Staff Profile". The University of Sydney. Archived from the original on 2025-06-17. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  3. 1 2 Margolis, Eleanor (2019-02-05). "On the issue of circumcision, I wonder If Men's Rights Activists have a point". New Statesman. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  4. 1 2 "cineSOURCE magazine". cinesourcemagazine.com. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  5. ↑ Massi, Giselle M. (2019-02-01). "Advocating for Wholeness Starts Early: American Circumcision". The Edge Magazine. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  6. 1 2 "The Men Who Want to End Circumcision in America". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  7. ↑ "The Unkindest Cut? Circumcision Ethics, Evidence, and Activism". 2019-01-17. Archived from the original on 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  8. ↑ "American Circumcision | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  9. ↑ Marotta, Brendon (2017-11-11), American Circumcision (Documentary), Georgeanne Chapin, Jonathon Conte, Dean Edell, retrieved 2025-08-14
  10. ↑ Collier, Roger (2011-11-22). "Circumcision indecision: the ongoing saga of the world's most popular surgery". CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association [journal de l'Association medicale canadienne]. 183 (17): 1961–1962. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-4021. ISSN   1488-2329. PMC   3225415 . PMID   22007124.
  11. ↑ Massi, Giselle M. (2019-02-01). "Advocating for Wholeness Starts Early: American Circumcision". The Edge Magazine. Retrieved 2025-08-16.
  12. ↑ "american circumcision | Search Results | Big Apple Reviews". bigapplereviews.net. Archived from the original on 2019-05-23. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  13. 1 2 "American Circumcision - Film Review". Eye For Film. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  14. 1 2 "American Circumcision". filmthreat.com. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  15. ↑ Film, American Circumcision (2017-11-12). "American Circumcision Won Best Documentary At The Lone Star Film Festival". American Circumcision. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
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