Project of the Day: ‘Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives’
IndieWire Staff
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Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives
Tweetable Logline: “Give Light” is a feature-length documentary that shares the oral histories of indigenous midwives in the face of a modern medical industry.
Elevator Pitch: In “Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives,” hear indigenous midwives discuss a time when birth was a natural event. This documentary film records these unique stories and explores how childbirth has been transformed into a medical event that suppresses women’s greatest potential–creation, to–Give Light. Learn how today, many midwives fear persecution and risk having their practices outlawed; while the medical industry refuses to acknowledge their specific skills and knowledge. This same industry has taken great measures to prevent women from using their midwifery vocation to generate income–while creating a global cesarean epidemic.
Production Team:
Steph Smith – Director / Cinematographer
Sharon Edwards – Producer
Sam Bass – Producer
About the film: In 2009, Steph met Dona Enriqueta Contreras, a midwife from Mexico at the Ninth International Herbal Symposium outside of Boston. She was fascinated with Dona’s depth of knowledge and unique perspective. In 2010, she began filming midwives in Namibia, South Africa, and the following year traveled to Colombia and Brazil to gather more footage. This film seeks to inspire, entertain, and spark dialogue and action regarding the future of maternity health and the role of midwives in contemporary society. Through an energetic outreach campaign, this film has the potential to educate women and medical professionals around the world.
Current Status: We’re working on raising funds to cover the costs of post-production and distribution. We need to hire a narrator, finish editors, sound editors and colorists.
