© 2024 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Midwives | POV

Person holding a child
BONI&YEYE
/
PBS
Person holding a child

Mon Nov. 21 at 10PM on WKAR-HD 23.1 & STREAMING | Two women in a region beset by violent ethnic divisions run a makeshift medical clinic.

POV delves into the lives of two midwives – one a Buddhist and one a Muslim, who defy strict ethnic divisions to work side by side at a health clinic in western Myanmar.

Midwives, director Snow’s feature film debut, chronicles Hla and Nyo Nyo, two courageous women who unite to bring forth life at a makeshift medical clinic in western Myanmar. Hla, the owner of the clinic, is a Buddhist in the western region of the country, where the Rohingya of Rakhine State (a Muslim minority community) are persecuted and denied basic rights. Nyo Nyo is a Muslim and an apprentice midwife who acts as an assistant and translator at the clinic. Her family has lived in the area for generations, yet they’re still considered intruders.

Encouraged and challenged by Hla, who risks her own safety daily by helping Muslim patients, Nyo Nyo is determined to become a steady health care provider for her community. Hlaing followed the pair over five turbulent years and witnessed their struggles amid an increasingly dangerous environment.

“Be true to your story and your story will be true to you. Making creative documentary films can sometimes be lonely. We have to believe in what we are doing; deeply believe in our story. That means a lot of hard work and knowing what we really want to capture. Every woman's story you tell and every success you have as a filmmaker is a footprint for other women,” said Midwives Director/Producer Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing.

Watch this documentary at video.wkar.org during or after the premiere date. This documentary is also available to watch live during the premiere date on the WKAR Livestream.

MORE ABOUT POV:
The award-winning POV (a cinema term for “point of view”) series is the longest-running showcase on television to feature the work of America's best contemporary-issue independent filmmakers.

Journalism at this station is made possible by donors who value local reporting. Donate today to keep stories like this one coming. It is thanks to your generosity that we can keep this content free and accessible for everyone. Thanks!