The Chicago Maternity Center Story

For media inquiries and screeners, please contact tim@kartemquin.com.

"The Chicago Maternity Center Story is one of the best political documentaries of the 1970s"

Chuck Kleinhans, Co-Editor of Jumpcut

"It’s not a little distressing to see that the debates then remain the same, only with the costs more devastating. The documentary—so energetic, so right—provides heartening evidence of efforts by activists, filmmakers, and mothers to fight back."

Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters

CRUCIAL VIEWING...Kartemquin's latest preservation effort of its own venerable film catalog looks back at a time when those in the medical industry not only wanted to help those in need of care, but effectively could help every person who walked in the door. Actually, that's not entirely true... It's hard to suppress the creeping realization that the inequalities presented in the films are far too similar to today's to be coincidental, as if we've been stuck living in a time loop the past 40 years." - Doug McLaren, Cine-File

"A time capsule of wo­men’s health activism... the film rips the medical industry as sexist and capitalist."

Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times

An important and powerful documentary about women battling corporate medicine to control their own bodies. Unfortunately, it is as relevant today as it was 33 years ago.

"A fascinating - and still relevant - look at home birth and the industrialization of women’s health care."

Julie Deardoff, Chicago Tribune, 2010

"Powerful and persuasive!"

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"A combative, devastatingly researched account of how American medicine has deteriorated since it became a multi million dollar business."

The Sunday London Times

"There are no frills to hide behind and there is beauty and pain in the realism of the film."

Jan Fuller & Phyllis Hudson, Chicago Defender