In the M-Net line-up this month (screened at 20h30 on March 27), is Vera Drake, the true life drama set in England in the 1950s about a backstreet abortionist whose deeds come back to haunt her.

Directed by Mike Leigh, Vera Drake stars Imelda Staunton, Richard Graham and Jim Broadbent. The film was nominated for 11 Baftas (winning three), three Oscars, one Golden Globe, a Human Rights Award and many more.

British actress Imelda Staunton herself was nominated for over 20 awards. She was born in England in the ‘50s, the same country and decade in which this abortion drama is set. She plays Vera Drake, an ordinary wife and mother of two adult children with a secret life: on Fridays, she is “a helping woman” – a woman who makes soothing noises and a nice cup of tea after assisting working class women to get rid of their unwanted, unborn babies.

Vera sees nothing wrong in what she does and, in fact, does it for free but abortion is illegal in England in the ‘50s, and sooner or later, Vera will have to account for her actions.