Traditional midwives have assisted in births since the beginning of time. Many of them hold deep knowledge of natural birth skills that most modern obstetricians do not consider valuable.
Tragically, many of these midwives are endangered of being persecuted and losing their practices. The medical industry sees them as either infringing on the mainstream medical discourse or as simply ignorant. As opposed to benefiting from their experience and knowledge.
GIVE LIGHT was filmed in Brazil, Peru, Namibia, Belize, America, Thailand, Colombia, Costa Rica, Greece and Spain. In their native settings, these compelling midwives share their practices and life stories with confidence, humor, and timely messages of their faith in the natural capabilities of the female body when giving birth.
The New Orleans Midwife/Doula community and Medical/Cultural Anthropologist and Author of “Birth as American Rite of Passage,” Robbie Davis-Flyd, PhD. provides narrations and insights into global and historical perspective of Midwifery.
GIVE LIGHT compares and contrasts the birth experiences by Indigenous midwives with contemporary methods to explore the current rite of passage in childbirth in our modern world.
Like our Facebook page @givelightFilm - help share information about Indigenous Midwives!
On May 5, 2021 a work-in-progress screening was held called a virtual brain trust (VBT). Every contributor that provided an email address was invited to join and comment on the film. In addition to emails sent there were announcements posted on all of the films social media accounts. The VBT was well attended and diversely represented. Refinements to were made based on feedback offered.
For those interviewed that did not provide electronic ways of communication, effort to resurrect communications pathways were made, and other avenues explored to give them information about the work-in-progress viewing for their review and comments. Their feedback was desired, encouraged, welcomed and valued.
The films interviewees expressly granted permission to use their interview in Give Light.
“ … they banded together in cities like New York to run public health campaigns against the establishment of the professional midwifery in the United States. ”
“Give Light juxtaposes many of the herbal and physical remedies indigenous midwives practice with facts from authoritative medical institutions granting legitimacy to practices that have been done for thousands of years before the advent of modern medicine.”
Give Light Interns
Press and Reviews
Fundraising Screening for LiFT Louisiana - Click ~ Lift’s Louisiana mission is to To educate, advocate, and litigate for policy changes needed to improve the health and wellbeing of Louisiana's women, their families, and their communities. On July 16th an outside sponsor help bring Give Light back to the Broad Theater. It Sold out!
PATOIS Film Festival - Click to listen ~ A conversation between Patois Collective Member, Jazz Franklin, and Director of Give Light, Steph Smith. Give Light is Steph Smith's directorial debut. Screening on March 24th at the Broad Theater Sold out!
Gambit Weekly - Click the Review link ~ Steph Smith talks with midwives in New Orleans and around the world in 'Give Light' documentary. Screening on October 10th at the Broad Theater Sold out!
Radio Interview on ProFrequency, Click the link to hear. Hosted by Amy interviews midwives Chae Pounds and Victoria Williams of Birthmark Doulas about the “Our Lineage: Tour & Tea" fundraiser, and the history of midwifery in New Orleans. They're joined by filmmaker Steph Smith to discuss "Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives," a film that explores the maternity care crisis worldwide that hopes to bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern technology.
In 2021, The Women in Film and Television of Louisiana (WiFT) presented a ‘Spot Light’ on GIVE LIGHT. For the Spot Light article. click on this link.
In 2020 Steph worked with two Tulane University’s Communications students. They wrote an article that was published in an online news magazine about GIVE LIGHT. Here is a link to this article.
Reviews:
“In the face of the widespread medicalization of birth, Give Light documents the knowledge and practices of indigenous midwives across the globe. Featuring interviews with birth workers in North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, the film provides a rarely seen window into how these midwives carry their profession forward, in some cases against great institutional pressures. Give Light also includes data and scholarly research illustrating the validity and effectiveness of traditional midwifery. As such, it makes for an extremely effective and engaging text for educating about the history of midwifery, the medicalization of birth, and alternative birthing possibilities.” – Clare Daniel, PhD, Tulane Professor and author of Mediating Morality: The Politics of Teen Pregnancy in the Post-Welfare Era
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“GIVE LIGHT, Steph Smith’s powerful directorial debut, explores the history of midwifery and its ongoing conflict with modern medicine. Crisscrossing the globe, Give Light explores midwifery as an option to big medicine which dictates how mothers bear children in our modern world.
Give Light refers to women's ability to birth a child, embracing the spiritual essence of birth. This fascinating documentary is the culmination of ten years of filming on five continents; with interviews of indigenous midwives from remote regions in Belize, Brazil, Peru, Thailand, as well as Greece and the United States. Give Light features cultural practices from Africa to Asia, all of which believe in a strong connection to nature and in the observance of the symbiotic relationship of the child and the natural world.
Give Light records midwifery practices and its discord with modern medicine that arises with the turn of the twentieth century. As time went on and obstetrics became more technological, not surprisingly so did birth's dependence on interventions.
Smith’s directorial debut serves as a testament to midwifery’s permanence despite its assaults. It’s persuasive and offers a strong argument for investment in and seeking out midwifery and midwives. Viewers will enjoy the travel adventures. Anyone looking for a refreshing look at childbirth and learning from other cultures will revel in this documentary”
Jean-Paul Arguello is a freelance reporter in New Orleans and a former reporter for the Times of Houma-Thibodaux and Daily Comet.
About The Director
Steph Smith
A filmmaker based in New Orleans, works as an independent director, cinematographer, and editor. In 2023, her debut documentary GIVE LIGHT won an award for excellence from the International Women's Festival. In October 2020, Steph was accepted into the Sundance Co//ab with the emphasis on GIVE LIGHT. Her work has been invited to screen nationally in several festivals, an educational tour in the south and internationally in over 13 countries. She has been an invited guest on several panels to discuss new models in independent film making and social impact.
The Art Council of New Orleans commissioned her for their community arts awards. Steph also teaches Kundalini Yoga, and has brought yoga to youth in a local detention center. Email her at steps@givelight.info
Colette Delacroix
Documentary Writer ~ COLETTE DELACROIXcolettedelacroix@hotmail.com
Multi-talented Colette Delacroix is a native of the city of New Orleans, though she has also lived in New York and Los Angeles, and Paris. Her degrees are in Visual Art(BA, Manhattanville College), and Arts Education (MA, Columbia University) She is the author of poems, screen plays, an award winning children’s book, What Color Is
Love, and one novel. Two of her screenplays have been sold: Girls Gone Gangsta (2009) and Louisiana Noir (pre-production.)
A founding member of the Women In Film & Television Louisiana. She is a past board member. Colette is a member of IATSE 478 as well as a member of SAG- AFTRA! She mentors and hosts the WIFTLA writers. And outside of her industry efforts, Colette is a past president of her Neighborhood Watch Association, advocating for quality of life issues.
My name is Melany Cutno, and I am a sexual reproductive rights and Justice intern with Give Light. I do university research and marketing planning for the give light college tour. I create templates and organize information for the organization. I also search for PBS underwriters looking to help support/ sponsor our film. As a current filmmaker myself, Give Light has helped me expand my knowledge of the industry and taught me what it takes to impact society with my work.