Among us women

Despite all medical advice, young Ethiopian farmer Huluager wants to give birth at home. Between tradition and modernity, patriarchal structures and the complex power of female companionship, the women and midwives in the village of Megendi wrestle with their relationship to their bodies, to each other, and to all those who want to decide for them. The film shows the local health centre’s struggle against maternal mortality. It explores the voices of women and the physical, cultural and structural factors that prevent them from seeking medical care during pregnancy and childbirth. Inmidst this lively dialogue, Huluager is expecting her 4th child. She regularly attends check-ups at the health centre and follows the advice of the medically trained midwives. But Hulu resists this newly established system in which she feels unheard and longs for security and emotional support. She therefore wants to give birth at home with traditional midwife Endal. But complications arise and midwives from the clinic have to intervene. On the periphery, the many challenges faced by mothers and midwives in a patriarchal social structure become clear. The film brims with the resourcefulness of the women and shows the impressive support network they have built up over generations.