MOTHERLAND takes us into the heart of the
planet’s busiest maternity hospital in one of the world’s poorest and most
populous countries: the Philippines. The film’s viewer, like an unseen outsider
dropped unobtrusively into the hospital’s stream of activity, passes through
hallways, enters rooms and listens in on conversations. At first, the
surrounding people are strangers. But as the film continues, it’s absorbingly
intimate, rendering the women at the heart of the story increasingly familiar.
Three women—Lea, Aira and Lerma—emerge to share their stories with other
mothers, their families, doctors and social workers. While each of them faces
daunting odds at home, their optimism, honesty and humor suggest a strength
that they will certainly have to summon in the years ahead.
