The Business of Being Born

Jim Browne (View Profile)

The Business of Being Born
2007, 84 minutes
Directed by Abby Epstein

In this candid and eye-opening documentary, director Abby Epstein and producer Ricki Lake explore and question the way American women have babies. Shocking facts (to men and women alike) regarding the historical and current practices of the child birthing industry interweave with stories of couples who decide to give birth on their own terms. The Business of Being Born had its world premiere at the sixth annual Tribeca Film Festival, April 25–May 6, 2007.

The Business of Being Born will have its theatrical release January 2008 in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. In 2007 there will be screenings throughout the US in several cities. To learn where this movie is being screened near you, sign up for their mailing list at info@thebusinessofbeingborn.com.

 
Want to host a private screening of your own? For more information on hosting an advance screening, email info@thebusinessofbeingborn.com.

Directors Bio

Abby Epstein made her directing debut at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival with the documentary feature, Until the Violence Stops. The film went on to play at the Miami, Santa Barbara, and Locarno Film Festivals, and won the Golden Audience Award at the Amnesty International Film Festival in Vancouver. It had its broadcast premiere on Lifetime Television and received an Emmy. Epstein began her career as a theater director in Chicago, where she founded Roadworks Productions and premiered works by Eric Bogosian, Patrick Marber, and Mike Leigh, earning multiple awards. Returning to New York in 1998, she became Resident Director of the Broadway musical Rent and directed the Rent premieres in Mexico City, Barcelona, and Madrid. As associate director of The Vagina Monologues, she directed over one hundred celebrity actresses in the New York production, and then directed the national tour, for which she received a National Broadway Theater Award Nomination.

Click here to read an interview with Abby Epstein, Director of The Business of Being Born

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posted: 01.24.2008
Wise Dragonfly
All I remember from my son's birth is horror, pain and lack of education, from health professionals. In 1970 there was no LaMaaze (sp?), no help with nursing, and I was actually told my Dr. "That is was going to get worse before it gets better!" I was totally unprepared for the birth experience and what to do when I took my beautiful baby boy home. I was a complete mess and ending up having only one child. I told my husband, after the birth, that if he wanted more babies, he had to find someone else!
posted: 01.11.2008
Lindy McHutchison, MD
I watched the video expecting something all together different than I saw. I hope the full length version is more balanced. I found this video clip biased and one sided. I practiced Obstertrics for 16 years. I took care of thousands of laboring women during that time. While all women dream of the perfect delivery process without intervention, the reality is frequently all together different. The complications that can occur in labor are tremendous and can be devastating. Frequently, those complications affect the outcome of baby. I have taken care of many women who chose a "natural" approach to labor, refusing interventions, only to live with the guilt and horror that their labor decisions, severely affected the outcome of thier baby, left with severe lifetime sequela... it's tragic. I recommend for all women who complain that their doctor recommended pitocin, cervidil, etc. to ask, "what possible adverse things can happen to my baby if I don't?" Best Rx: Stay prudent.
posted: 10.18.2007
Danika Severino
As a doula and aspiring nurse-midwife, I am thrilled to see The Business of Being Born featured on Divine Caroline's homepage. The more we talk about choices in childbirth, the more informed and empowered women and families will be around pregnancy and birthing.
posted: 09.28.2007
Liz Monte
I can't wait to see this film! I've watched a videotaped home birth, and while it's definitely not for the faint of stomach, it's a fascinating insight into how babies can be delivered outside of a hospital.
posted: 09.28.2007
Rebecca Brown
I don't have kids yet, but seeing this makes me want to use a midwife and have my baby at home. It seems scary that hospitals would put women on a "schedule" and administer drugs they don't really need just to speed along the process - scary, but sadly, not surprising. Looking forward to seeing the whole film.
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