Filmmaker Jacqui Blue's Beautiful Births Documentary, "Really Touched My Heart"

The documentary has received a tremendous amount of support from people all over the world and has been an effective medium for starting the conversation on natural birth. Many of the topics highlighted in the film provide a wealth of information that are beneficial not only to women interested in natural birth, but other delivery methods as well. At the film's theatrical debut screening in Fort Lauderdale at Cinema Paradiso, Jacqui Blue along with childhood best friend and the film's photographer, Jackie Korpela mingled with guests during a meet and greet before the film and were part of a question and answer panel featuring Debbie Marin and Joia who also stars in Beautiful Births; The Q&A session was hosted by Gena Kirby of Progressive Parenting Network who flew in from Texas and opened her introduction with praise for the film and the woman behind it's creation. Jacqui Blue spent the last three years seeing this project through from conception until completion. 

She says, "after all it took to make a film and having done the bulk of it on my own, when I looked at my side the day of the first screening and saw my two best friends beside me who'd been there at my side for every important event for a little more than half my life now, that was really special." She posted a blog on the film's official website after the screenings that goes on to say, "it was seeing these two faces and knowing they were there with me, I knew no matter what, I'd get through it. Even if the night had gone in the opposite direction than it did, I know they would have found a way to help me laugh and live through it. "

The film does a wonderful job of displaying the beauty of childbirth, particularly with its genuine conversational dialogue and emotional appeal. Beautiful Births explores the Midwifery Model of Care and does a good job of playing show and tell of what a birth center is and what it is not. The official documentary trailer is available at: http://buff.ly/1qX7Sm4 The film will be available on DVD this fall.

"I had the pleasure of seeing Beautiful Births. Prior to seeing it I had no idea of what happens in hospitals. I did not realize it was so bad. Women are pretty much striped for their rights. As I watched, I thought to myself: do I really want this? Do I want to be told what to do?," says Ariel Warmbrandt, 21, who attended the Fort Lauderdale screening at Cinema Paradiso with her parents. "When the time comes for me to have a child, I want options. I want to feel relaxed. Not tense. The film taught me that. It showed me the beauty of a natural birth. Hearing these women tell their stories, really touched my heart. The film gives something great. Awareness."

The response has been huge from women across the world. The Indian Mommy Blog, Mommyswall.com, recommends the film to parents planning to have a baby, pregnant moms and women working in, or planning to take up work within the birthing communities. They also praise the film's honest approach with real stories from moms. A review from Pregnancy Exercise Magazine in New Zealand starts off by saying, "I love documentaries that make me want to go through it all again!" And then goes on to applaud Jacqui Blue for "making such an educational film that will inspire many women to a beautiful birth". A review featured on the online publication Lilypod and Sweetpea stated, "The documentary is not only heart warming but inspiring and eye-opening. I laughed, I cried and I crossed my legs with gritted teeth!" and goes on to say that the film is a must-watch for all mothers or mothers to be.

Jacqui Blue on the Beautiful Births Documentary:

I made a film that was what I wanted to see in the mainstream media about birth. I focused on what I felt was the most important issues to touch upon but there is a lot more about childbirth that should be explored. I hope to peak your curiosity if you're new to this world and if you're seasoned in the birth world as a pro or just an avid natural birth advocate I hope that this is a film you pass along to other women. I want all women to be aware of the fact that they have choices and what they are. Then it is up to them to make their decisions based on informed consent. Because at the end of the day, that's what we all deserve to be given by our health care providers; Informed consent.

In addition to the film, the Beautiful Birth's website will serve as a living extension of the documentary. Resource directories will be available on topics related to natural births and natural pregnancies; Women can share their birth stories and experiences, video clips will be uploaded featuring experts and women sharing their expertise and personal stories with regards to: pregnancy, childbirth, hypnobirthing, VBAC, natural pain relief and much more. The directory resources and birth stories section are currently being updated and will be available online soon. The website is, and will continue to be a work in progress that will invite women to interact and share their experiences. 

About Beautiful Births
Beautiful Births is a feature length documentary that invites you to explore another side of pregnancy and childbirth not often shown in mainstream media. Filmed and directed by mother, filmmaker and artist Jacqui Blue, the film's primary goal is to inform and educate women about natural childbirth using the Midwifery Model of Care and to act as a resource guide that allows women to be aware of their other options.

About Jacqui Blue
Jacqui Blue a is documentary filmmaker, writer, photographer, artist and mother of five sons. Before putting herself through film school, she spent the greater part of the last decade working as a stay at home mom and wife. Having had a Cesarean section with her twins, followed by two very different but successful hospital VBACs, which was then followed by a water birth in a birth center, Jacqui developed a passion for natural birth and fell into "alternative" or "attachment" parenting styles. When she became annoyed with the programming available to women about pregnancy and birth, she decided it was about time for someone to make a film that showed another, a different, a more natural way to bring children into the world.