I was thrilled to find the current issue of Mothering Magazine in my mailbox this week, featuring Ricki Lake and her new film The Business of Being Born on the cover. This publicity dovetails with the New York theatrical premiere of the film on January 9th at the IFC Film Center. I was fortunate enough to see The Business of Being Born at a private screening back in May, and I have been counting the days until its release ever since. The film takes a riveting look at maternity care and childbirth in America and raises extremely provocative questions about the way women and babies are treated in the conventional hospital setting. We live in a society where pregnancy and birth have been institutionalized to an extreme degree and yet the US has the second-highest newborn death rate in the developed world. The film highlights this fact and explores the myriad differences between hospital birth and home birth. I think it is an absolute must-see for everyone, but particularly anyone who is contemplating having a baby, or who cares about the rights of women and the health of babies.
Check out the film trailer here, and an excellent interview with Ricki Lake conducted by Mothering Magazine's Peggy O'Mara here.
Most importantly, go see the movie!
i just listened to the interview with peggy o'mara and ricki lake; wonderful! thanks for this link. i live in portland, oregon and we are having a few screenings of the movie in the next few weeks - i am so excited to see it. i have two babes (4 years and 4 months respectively) and birthed both at home. we have been waiting for this movie... i can feel the earth shifting!
ReplyDeleteLeigh,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know that Newsweek did an article regarding the movie.
Thought you would like to see it.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/96400