Our Father

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1:51

Our Father

2022

1h 37m

Crime

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm, who always dreamed of having a brother or sister. An at-home DNA test led her to the discovery of not one but seven half-siblings -- a number that defied best practices in fertility medicine. As the group set out to learn more about their curious family tree, they soon discovered the sickening truth: Their parents' fertility doctor had been inseminating his patients with his own sperm -- without their knowledge or consent. As Ballard and her newfound siblings realized they've barely begun to untangle his dark web of deceit, their pursuit of justice lies at the heart of this profoundly unsettling story about an unimaginable breach of trust. At this time, Dr. Cline is one of the most prolific cases with 94 children and counting. Their fight to find justice leads to an unfortunate realization that there's very little protection or laws in place against fertility fraud. Dr. Cline is unfortunately one of many fertility doctors across the globe who has used his own sperm to inseminate women without their knowledge or consent. This revelation is also becoming more common with the recent rise in popularity of DNA testing. Laws have been passed in Texas and Indiana that make it illegal for a doctor to use his own sperm in insemination. Kentucky just passed a fertility fraud bill last week. However, it is not a federal law. Now there are 44 doctors known to have done this, and because of DNA testing, the time of these doctors getting away with this is hopefully coming to end. This is a story about someone who has done something horrible, but has no accountability. This is also a story of consent, of women not being given an option.

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Richard Roeper

Chicago Sun-Times

Director Lucie Jourdan paints a vividly disturbing picture of Cline, using his own words and actions against him, but wisely and compassionately makes “Our Father” as much about the victims...

Rated: 3/4

May 14, 2022

Full Review

John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

A horror story presented as too much of a horror movie.

May 12, 2022

Full Review

Nina Metz

Chicago Tribune

“Isn’t this terrible?” the documentary asks, while never digging much deeper.

Rated: 2/4

May 12, 2022

Full Review

Archi Sengupta

LeisureByte.com

Our Father is a sad, terrifying and cautionary tale about people and how abhorrent they can be.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2024

Full Review

Nuha Hassan

Nuha Hassan (Medium)

The documentary does a great job at showing how much the half-siblings fought to get their voice heard and emphasising the evil nature of his actions.

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

Equally enthralling, sickening, and astonishing, Our Father was made to no longer silence Dr. Cline’s victims.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 2, 2023

Full Review

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Marcus E

Insane man, and unbelievable what happened. His 'donor' daughter is so courageous.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/24

Full Review

Lexus H

THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. WHAT THIS MAN DID WAS DISGUSTING. I'm GLAD THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS MADE, BECAUSE IT OPENS OUR MINDS AND SPREADS AWARENESS ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS THAT HAPPEN. THIS DEFINITELY IS POSSIBLY STILL HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. AND It's SICKENING. THIS IS A MUST-WATCH DOCUMENTARY. DEFINITELY, ADD IT TO YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO WATCH.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/13/23

Full Review

cathy c

This Documentary was definitely disturbing. However, I believe the Family is Armed with a Realistic Force to Spread Awareness! No reason for anyone to say derogatory Statements against the Victims!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

alex v

Depressing. Quick way to feel sad in 1hr37m.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Teri J

So help me understand, a Dr. can lie about the sperm he's using, even to the point of NOT using the sperm a the SHOULD BE biological father that literally handed him his sperm BUT if you lie to the attorney general THEN THAT is a crime?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Increíble el relato de cada hermano.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Lucie Jourdan

Director

Jacoba Ballard

Self

Jason Blum

Producer

Lucie Jourdan

Producer

Michael Petrella

Producer

Amanda Spain

Producer

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Our Father: Trailer 1

1:51

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Synopsis

Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm, who always dreamed of having a brother or sister. An at-home DNA test led her to the discovery of not one but seven half-siblings -- a number that defied best practices in fertility medicine. As the group set out to learn more about their curious family tree, they soon discovered the sickening truth: Their parents' fertility doctor had been inseminating his patients with his own sperm -- without their knowledge or consent. As Ballard and her newfound siblings realized they've barely begun to untangle his dark web of deceit, their pursuit of justice lies at the heart of this profoundly unsettling story about an unimaginable breach of trust. At this time, Dr. Cline is one of the most prolific cases with 94 children and counting. Their fight to find justice leads to an unfortunate realization that there's very little protection or laws in place against fertility fraud. Dr. Cline is unfortunately one of many fertility doctors across the globe who has used his own sperm to inseminate women without their knowledge or consent. This revelation is also becoming more common with the recent rise in popularity of DNA testing. Laws have been passed in Texas and Indiana that make it illegal for a doctor to use his own sperm in insemination. Kentucky just passed a fertility fraud bill last week. However, it is not a federal law. Now there are 44 doctors known to have done this, and because of DNA testing, the time of these doctors getting away with this is hopefully coming to end. This is a story about someone who has done something horrible, but has no accountability. This is also a story of consent, of women not being given an option.

Director: Lucie Jourdan
Producer: Jason Blum, Lucie Jourdan, Michael Petrella, Amanda Spain
Genre: Crime, Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 11, 2022
Runtime: 1h 37m

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