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The Baby Question
Review by Stephanie Josephs
A film for everyone who was a baby once.
The Baby Question, a short film conceived by Paula Varjack and Chuck Blue Lowry, charts the decision-making journey of different women about babies and fertility. With beautifully retro stylised cinematography, the film is framed as a chart music countdown with performers giving ‘Top of the Pops’ style dance performances to popular music of the time -think Madonna's 'Papa Don't Preach' right up to noughties modern day disco revivals.
The film creatively opens up questions not only about status, relationships and time through the countdown format, but also discussions that are not so readily talked about such as no desire, infertility, sexuality, conditions affecting reproductive organs, climate change and regret.
A caricatured male chart-show presenter interjects throughout the countdown with key facts about historic moments in reproductive rights and the waves of feminism which helps make the film highly informative and educational.
Particularly powerful was a monologue expressing ‘the child free woman is…’ before listing off reasons from medical (a survivor of ovarian cancer or having tried IVF multiple times so as to no longer having the mental or financial capacity) to circumstantial, (not having met the right person or them not wanting the same things) to choice (valuing freedom and wanting to maintain a certain lifestyle).
The film is a joy to watch, supported by a great soundtrack and strong and sensitive performances throughout. The subject matter is made accessible through comedy, music and fun glitter costumes yet does not shy away from the tenderness of what it means to ask the baby question(s), to avoid it and the responsibility of choice.
Provocative, clever and thoroughly entertaining.
Review by Stephanie Josephs
A film for everyone who was a baby once.
The Baby Question, a short film conceived by Paula Varjack and Chuck Blue Lowry, charts the decision-making journey of different women about babies and fertility. With beautifully retro stylised cinematography, the film is framed as a chart music countdown with performers giving ‘Top of the Pops’ style dance performances to popular music of the time -think Madonna's 'Papa Don't Preach' right up to noughties modern day disco revivals.
The film creatively opens up questions not only about status, relationships and time through the countdown format, but also discussions that are not so readily talked about such as no desire, infertility, sexuality, conditions affecting reproductive organs, climate change and regret.
A caricatured male chart-show presenter interjects throughout the countdown with key facts about historic moments in reproductive rights and the waves of feminism which helps make the film highly informative and educational.
Particularly powerful was a monologue expressing ‘the child free woman is…’ before listing off reasons from medical (a survivor of ovarian cancer or having tried IVF multiple times so as to no longer having the mental or financial capacity) to circumstantial, (not having met the right person or them not wanting the same things) to choice (valuing freedom and wanting to maintain a certain lifestyle).
The film is a joy to watch, supported by a great soundtrack and strong and sensitive performances throughout. The subject matter is made accessible through comedy, music and fun glitter costumes yet does not shy away from the tenderness of what it means to ask the baby question(s), to avoid it and the responsibility of choice.
Provocative, clever and thoroughly entertaining.
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