Available to stream: May 15, 2023 12:00 am - May 22, 2023 12:00 am ET

Born Free: Birth in America Virtual Event

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About The Film
Press Kit
Impact

In BORN FREE, filmmaker Paula James-Martinez investigates the real cost of birth in the United States. Why is it the only nation in the developed world with a rising maternal mortality rate?

“Born Free” is a deep dive into what it is like to have a baby in modern day America. Asking questions like; why do so many women experience PTSD after birth? Why do so many woman have anxiety issues as a result? And why do so many women face bankruptcy, just from getting pregnant in America? If birth and pregnancy are a lens on how a society values its women; Why is it a fight that women in the US are losing more and more often?

A fight birthing people have to undertake when feeling their most vulnerable. A fight that has statistically awful outcomes for people of color. A fight against a lack of informed choice, against medical overreach and abuse. A fight for bodily autonomy. A fight against systemic racism, sexism, poverty, and big medical, pharmaceutical, and healthcare providers . It is a fight for our lives.

An unexpected journey of discovery, created with an all female crew, Born Free wants to provide women the tools to finally be able to roar for themselves.

Learn More: https://www.bornfreefilm.com/

From 1990 to 2015, the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 births in the most developed nations has been flat or dropping. In the U.S., the rate has risen sharply by 30 percent. 

Black mothers in the U.S. are 4 times more likely to die of childbirth complications than white women.

As of 2012, only three countries do not mandate paid time off for new parents: Papua New Guinea, Lesotho, and The United States. 

Women still don’t have constitutional equality in America. Not only has the United States not ratified the equal rights amendment, it is the only developed nation that has not ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

The U.S. is the most expensive nation in the world in which to have a baby – and it may factor into thousands of bankruptcies each year.

Learn More: https://www.bornfreefilm.com/ 

Click here to download the BORN FREE press kit!

The Mother Lovers

BORN FREE was created with support from The Mother Lovers. For more information about the issues covered in the film and to learn how you can help combat the maternal mortality crisis, visit The Mother Lover’s website by clicking the button below.

The Mother Lover's Website