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Midwives
Directed by Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing
THE realities of life in Myanmar’s violence-riven Rakhine State is seen through the eyes of two midwives — one Buddhist (the majority religion in Myanmar); the other Muslim — who work side by side in a makeshift medical clinic, defying ethnic divides in this eye-opening and impressive debut documentary feature by Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing.
Shot over five turbulent years, the film follows Hla, owner of the centre, and her Muslim apprentice Nyo Nyo, her assistant and translator, as they attend Rohingya Muslim patients from surrounding villages bringing new life into this world.
It chronicles the pair’s struggles, hopes and aspirations along with the racism Nyo Nyo faces, not being allowed to treat Buddhist patients: “If I let a Muslim girl treat Buddhists, people would complain,” states Hla’s husband.
The invaluable and courageous work that the two women carry out is contrasted with the demonstrations taking place in the streets, with Buddhist marchers saying of the Muslim minority: “Terrorists who stole our land get out, get out.”
The film is set against the backdrop of the Rohingya crisis in 2017 following a violent conflict in the Rakhine State which led to many deaths and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing their homes and the country as Myanmar’s military pursued ethnic cleansing.
It shows how those that stayed were perceived as intruders, even though, like Nyo Nyo’s family, they have lived there for generations. They are banned from travelling anywhere and from obtaining citizenship so Nyo Nyo’s plans to join her sister in the city are complicated by the fact she does not have papers.
In the meantime, Hla, who encourages and challenges Nyo Nyo, risks her own life every day by helping Muslim patients give birth.
What is interesting to witness is how the escalating situation outside of the clinic is reflected in the women’s own relationship, which deteriorates when Hla learns Nyo Nyo is pregnant and then later discovers she intends to build her own health clinic for the Rohingya, providing free care for those who cannot pay.
Midwives is an extraordinarily intimate, powerful film about remarkable women which provides a unique insight into the complex reality in Myanmar.
In cinemas and on Dogwoof on Demand
