Films

The Chicago Maternity Center Story 1976

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For more than 75 years, the Chicago Maternity Center provided safe home deliveries for Chicago mothers. However, when modern medicine’s attitude toward home birth changed and funding from Northwestern University declined in 1974, the center was forced to close. This film interweaves the history of the center with the stories of a young woman about to have her first baby and the center’s fight to stay open in the face of the corporate takeover of medicine.

60 minutes

Recent News

Kartemquin and the New Deal

April 10, 2008

Kartemquin's The Chicago Maternity Center Story was referenced in an article today in the Chicago Reader by J.R. Jones covering a series of film screenings called, "For a Better America: The New Deal on Film." The collection of work illustrates how cinematic experimentation wove its way through the New Deal sponsored government films. Jones describes one of the films included in the event, The Fight for Life, and how clips from it are featured in Kartemquin's Maternity Center doc.

More news

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Chicago Maternity Center Story (VHS)

Available from Facets

Filmmakers

Made by
Jerry Blumenthal
Suzanne Davenport
Sharon Karp
Gordon Quinn
Jennifer Rohrer
Assistance
Teena Webb
Susan Delson
Vickie Cooper
Betsy Martens
Richard Schmeichen
Judy Hoffman
Peter Kuttner

Press

Powerful and persuasive!”

—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

and 3 more

Distinctions

Chicago International Film Festival, 1977 – Silver Hugo

Filmex – Certificate of Merit

Melbourne Film Festival – Diploma of Merit

Leipzig Film Festival – Official Selection

and 10 more