Back in October 2016, my son was born. During those crazy nine months, my wife and I went thru the complicated process of choosing a hospital, doctor, midwife and other elements necessaries to the proper arrival of a baby. On that time we were living NY, so to make sure that things run smoothly due to the overpopulated city, you need to follow the concept of being the first one on everything or what we called: First come first serve. Finally, our son was born and everything went well, even we were lucky enough to have a window because he was born so early in the morning.
If you look to not so wealthy countries, the experience of having a child can be daunting and complicated. For instance in Manila, in the Philippines, the arrival of a child it's a whole different story. Welcome to the documentary "Motherland" set in the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital the film goes deeper into the worlds highest birth rate hospital.
Director Ramona S. Diaz uses this film as the window to the world on how 150 pregnant women ready to deliver, goes into the most overcrowded dormitory style wards, with the limitation of incubators, two female patient sharing beds with their babies and other critical things that will be impossible to believe in American hospitals.
Motherland follows the life at least 4 women, really poor, who are forced to stay in the hospital to pay for their medicine as well for the babies. The struggle of these patients husbands without a job or with really low income who cannot pay for a package of diapers.
The film in a cinema verité style creates an engaging story of these strong women who are able to survive this experience, but still you wonder who they are going to continue with their lives as a new mother after letting the spectators follow them in the hospital thought the film, with their struggle and strength to keep on going.