Independent Lens
And So It Begins
And So It Begins follows the key figures of the 2022 presidential race in the Philippines, as a nation fights for its soul.
Motherland
Set in a busy maternity hospital in one of the poorest and most populous countries, Motherland traces the devastating toll on poor women as the Philippines struggles with reproductive health policy and the politics of the Catholic Philippines.
- Series
- POV
- Premiere Date
- October 16, 2017
- Length
- 90 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Open Call
- Diversity Development Fund
Producer
Ramona S Diaz
Ramona S. Diaz is a Peabody, Gotham, IDA, and EmmyⓇ Award-winning Asian American filmmaker, and a PGA and Independent Spirit award-nominee, known for her compelling character-driven documentaries. Ramona is both a Guggenheim Fellow and a USA Fellow. She was named the inaugural McGurn Family Trust Resident in Film by the American Academy in Rome.
- Other ITVS Films
- And So It Begins
- Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey
- Imelda
- The Learning
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The Film
Motherland takes us into the heart of the planet’s busiest maternity hospital in one of the world’s poorest and most populous countries: the Philippines. The film drops viewers unobtrusively into the hospital’s stream of activity, through hallways and into rooms while eavesdropping on conversations, before focusing on three women — Lea, Aira, and Lerma — who emerge to share their stories with other mothers, their families, doctors, and social workers. While each of them faces daunting odds at home, their optimism, honesty and humor suggest a strength that they will have to summon in the years ahead.
