The First Cry...powerful birth movie

[pamamidwife]

This website features a production that is being released in French theatres tomorrow.

It's a very moving piece...I recommend going for the longer version, although both versions are incredible.

I'm hoping that one day soon we'll be able to purchase this on DVD!

(if for some reason have you issues with FlashMedia, here is the trailer on my blog)

[BirthFree]

Gorgeous. It is so powerful to see the universality of new life, that all of us as women are in the same place in life thousands of miles and lifetimes apart. What a powerful moment to see just in that small bit. I can't read... it's french right? Anyone know where they will release it US side?

Thank you, you always find or have the most powerful videos. I feel myself there. That was very moving.
~Julie

[QueenOfThePride]

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[laurashanley]

Thanks, Pam! When I went to the site yesterday I wasn't able to view the trailer but for some reason I was able to view it just now on your blog! Lovely!

As Rixa mentioned, the American woman featured in the film had an unassisted birth! I was contacted by the producers in 2005 and they were adament about having an unassisted birth in the film. Apparently the director, Gilles de Maistre, was very touched by UC. They asked me to help them find someone who would be willing to have their UC filmed. I said I would try but wasn't sure it would be possible to find someone who would feel comfortable with this. I suggested they loan someone a camera (as the UK production company did) and let the woman or couple film it themselves.

They said, no, that Gilles wanted to film it but that he would be very respectful and not interfere at all. He is a father himself, and has filmed over 100 births. I sent a message out to my birth list and then received a letter from the production company last year saying someone had responded, Gilles had filmed the birth, and it was beautiful!

I was told the film would be shown world-wide. If I get anymore information about it I'll post it here. Interesting that it's being distributed by Disney!
Laura

[NJ*Doula]

Originally Posted by laurashanley

I was told the film would be shown world-wide. If I get anymore information about it I'll post it here. Interesting that it's being distributed by Disney!
Laura

I'll be watching, I'd really love to see it!

[laurashanley]

Unfortunately it doesn't look like the director is a big fan of unassisted childbirth, although he's tolerant and did find beauty in the UC he witnessed:

How do you view the willingness of some couples to give birth according to tradition or no medical assistance?

I think we should learn from everyone and remain tolerant. This American woman who made the choice to give birth without any medical assistance wishes to renew this act of communion between mother and child.

(Another interview)

On the American couple ...
In fact, it's fun because for the preview, this couple came to Paris with her baby (the little Vanek), which has a year and a half. And I watched as he was arriving at the world saw on the big screen and it was a beautiful moment. In the film, this birth is rich in teachings on birth at home and might call for women who have already given birth and who would have felt that they stole this time at the hospital. But it is also something that we can not to do that way. There is surely only 10 women in the world that can support it. This birth is a struggle.

(Another translation)

In fact, it is amusing since for the preview, this couple came to Paris with their baby (small Vanek) who has a year and half today. And I looked at it whereas it was seen arriving at the world on large screen and that was one very beautiful moment. In film, this birth is rich in lesson on the childbirth with the house and risk to challenge women who were already confined and who would have felt that one stole this moment to them to the hospital. But it is also something which one cannot advise to make in this manner. There are surely only 10 women in the world who can support that. This childbirth is a combat.

[Romana]

Do you have the original French from the interview? Both translations are kind of bad . . . I'm fluent and maybe I could get a better idea of what he was saying. I think I get it, but I'd like to read it untranslated.

[laurashanley]

I found several interviews by googling "Gilles de Maistre interview". The ones I quoted from were on the first page of results.
Laura

[rixafreeze]

Here's the original quote:

Sur le couple américain...
En fait, c'est amusant puisque pour l'avant-première, ce couple est venu à Paris avec leur bébé (le petit Vanek) qui a aujourd'hui un an et demi. Et je le regardais alors qu'il se voyait arriver au monde sur grand écran et ça a été un moment très beau. Dans le film, cette naissance est riche en enseignements sur l'accouchement à la maison et risque d'interpeller des femmes qui ont déjà accouché et qui auraient ressenti qu'on leur volait ce moment à l'hôpital. Mais c'est aussi quelque chose qu'on ne peut pas conseiller de faire de cette manière. Il n'y a sûrement que 10 femmes au monde qui peuvent supporter ça. Cet accouchement est un combat.

Basically, I don't think he's talking about it disapprovingly (okay, except for the "but I don't think it's a choice that we should recommend" comment) so much as he is commenting on how few people would agree with such a choice.

Other interviews with him put it in a more positive light. It's just so hard to translate the nuances of another language.

[laurashanley]

Originally Posted by rixafreeze

Basically, I don't think he's talking about it disapprovingly (okay, except for the "but I don't think it's a choice that we should recommend" comment) so much as he is commenting on how few people would agree with such a choice.

Thanks, Rixa. That makes sense.

I looked around the internet again and found more interviews and a review (I just posted this in the comments section of your blog also).

I do think he’s fascinated by UC, but is also afraid that something could go wrong. I get the impression that he feels a non-interventive hospital birth is probably the best choice (but I could be wrong). See this page and quote below: http://studiomagazine.fr/film/autour...006&ida=188355

The message of the film is a return to nature?
"From the moment you arrive in the desert, we understand that what happens in nature is not always easy and idyllic. We discover that the hospital saves babies, even if it sometimes at the cost of some dehumanization. However, it is possible today to find at the hospital in a little more relaxed to do things, a desire to let women act a little freely in the way they give birth."

Yet when asked about his best memory of the film he says: “It's hard to choose, whenever was really amazing because I spent a lot of time with each woman. If we were really pick one, I would say the baby was born in the United States with the Canadian mother, because it was really the first one that was finally realizing the project of Prime Cri.” So was it only his favorite because it was the first one they filmed? http://www.commeaucinema.com/intervi...ous,95050.html

The quote below (from someone who didn’t really like the film) seems to indicate that he’s supportive of UC, so I’m somewhat confused! In any case, I’m looking forward to seeing it someday.

“The Prime cry is clearly the result of hard work (the idea of patience and adaptability it took to achieve capture these moments left stunned), but it seems that has de Maistre failed, in the end, to tame these images. By emphasizing a more "natural" childbirth (including a non-assisted birth), the Prime cry seems to want to be the standard-bearer of a new age of motherhood. It is certainly a matter of conviction or not to lend legitimacy to unassisted births, those with dolphins, and so on. But universalist poem, the Prime cry pours quickly in a proselytizing that does not say his name. This eventually burdening the treatment, already lame, the topic.” http://www.critikat.com/article1659.html
Laura

[Ahimsa]

[rixafreeze]

I'll need to re-translate that last paragraph that you quoted, Laura, because the internet translation has me cracking up!

[courtenay_e]

ah, yes, it's been a while since I've had to use my french skills to translate something on paper... Wow, that is some poor transliterating ( in the first post that shows the two translations of the one quote)!

what a powerful trailer, though.

Did anybody else notice, though? All the women I saw, in either trailer, was in bed or the equivalent? I think that perhaps one woman was kneeling?... kinda sad. *sigh*