‘Midwives’
Manager: Lea Fehner
Artists: Khadija Kouyaté, Héloïse Janjaud, Myriem Akeddiou
Year: 2023
Premiere: 2/8/24
★★★
The film opens with the arrival of two newly graduated midwives stepping into a busy hospital corridor that hums with urgent energy. One is fearless and quick to act, while the other carries the weight of heartbreak and insecurity after a recent breakup. The setup reads like a familiar origin tale, but the pacing is anything but conventional. It treats the hospital as a pressure chamber: bright, hopeful moments after celebratory births quickly give way to tense complications. The daily grind is visible not just in the numbers of patients or the hours logged, but in the subtle frictions that flare when resources are short and the choreography of care becomes a collective negotiation among nurses, midwives, and doctors. The film signals early that its concern runs deeper than individual triumphs; it wants to explore systemic strain and the ways frontline workers improvise when the system is stretched to the breaking point.
The narrative unfolds with a brisk, almost documentary tempo, capturing the cadence of hospital life with a tactile immediacy. The characters are depicted not as heroic archetypes alone but as real people whose professional duties collide with personal vulnerabilities. The exhaustion on screen stems not from an overload of tasks but from the sense that certain outcomes feel out of reach because constraints block the path to proper care. This tension gradually broadens into a broader commentary about medical culture, echoing the concerns that have animated French medical cinema for years. In a lineage that includes celebrated works about young residents navigating a demanding training ground, the film positions its protagonists within a larger conversation about autonomy, authority, and the ethics of care under pressure.
A distinctive strength lies in how the director weaves documentary-like realism into the fabric of the film’s editing. There is a stubborn honesty in the way daily routines are presented—hands-on work, quick decisions, and the quiet, unglamorous moments that reveal character and resolve. The camera lingers with the matrons in nearly every scene, never shying away from the messiness and ambiguity that characterize real-life healthcare. This approach fosters a sense of immersion: viewers are not merely observing events but sharing in the uncertainty and resolve that define the professionals’ lives. The performances from the ensemble feel anchored by lived experience, with each actress delivering credible, lived-in portrayals that deepen the emotional resonance of the narrative.
As the film progresses, initiatory arcs take on a political dimension. What begins as a personal journey of learning and growth gradually expands to interrogate the structures that shape medical practice. The dialogue frequently returns to questions about resource allocation, staff shortages, and the pressures that shape clinical decisions. Yet the storytelling never becomes one-note polemic; it remains attentive to character development, privileging intimate moments of care and connection against the backdrop of a system under strain. The result is a film that works on multiple levels: it is a character study of two women in the making and a social inquiry into the conditions surrounding contemporary hospital work. This dual focus gives the work a remarkable depth and staying power, inviting audiences to reflect on what it takes to perform reliably under difficult circumstances while preserving empathy and humanistic care.
The visual language reinforces the film’s themes through a restrained, observational style. The cinematography favors natural light, practical settings, and unforced composition, which together convey a sense of authenticity that makes the hospital feel almost tactile. The sound design complements this realism with a steady, unobtrusive score that supports the emotional current without distracting from the actors’ performances. The editing, adept at weaving together moments of crisis and quiet solidarity, maintains a forward momentum that mirrors the relentless rhythm of hospital life. Throughout, the film maintains a respectful perspective toward its central figures, offering a nuanced portrait of professional dedication, camaraderie, and the personal cost of choosing a vocation that demands constant attention and care.
In its final act, the film circles back to the origin tension while also signaling growth. The two protagonists confront challenges that test their resolve, adaptability, and willingness to advocate for patients who may not have a voice in the system. The movie leaves viewers with a sense of cautious optimism: that training, experience, and solidarity among colleagues can produce meaningful improvements in patient outcomes, even when the environment remains imperfect. It is a work that honors the day-to-day courage of midwives and hospital staff, offering a thoughtful, compassionate lens on medical life that resonates beyond its specific setting.