Mother: Caring for 7 Billion (2011)

Touches You

Crappy film

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

"Mother" is a beautifully crafted, compassionate and uplifting journey through the issue of population growth, what it means for humanity's future prospects and what can be done. It features courageous women in Africa who are standing up to traditional views and who appreciate that family planning means more than their own reproductive rights, it is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Interviews with the greatest authorities on the subject are woven into a personal journey of one American mum facing up to her own cultural conditioning, and finding that concern for the next generation does not require parents to be constrained, but to be empowered.

First off; it is not, as advertised the only movie on population. It may be one of the few to discuss the connection between the empowerment of women leading to fewer children. As far as it went, it was an excellent film and I showed it legally to our local Sierra Club group. It was well received by all and I felt it was well made and made many good points. The only fault I had with the film was that while it was breaking one 'taboo', it was avoiding or ignoring an even stronger, more scary subject; that role which organized religion plays in controlling population. We will have to wait for that watershed moment and in the USA, the requirement for announcing your religious beliefs has become almost pandemic to the point where any politician not talking about their religion is akin to failing to praise the troops or not wearing a American flag lapel pin. There are many ways that population levels can start being reduced, but first people can't be afraid to talk about it. Without that next step being taken, very little progress can be made.

In a world plagued with innumerable and seemingly insurmountable problems, it's nice to view a film that tackles a formidable problem (i.e. population growth) in a positive manner. While the film certainly describes the many challenges that are associated with population growth, it leaves the viewer with a clearer understanding of what can be done to lower fertility rates while respecting individual choice and also improving the lives of people in the developed world. I particularly enjoyed the scenes that were filmed on location in Ethiopia. They gave me a far greater appreciation for the benefits that can be derived from educating girls, empowering women, and giving couples access to modern contraceptive methods. I was particularly interested to learn more about the role that entertainment media is playing in Ethiopia.

It will probably take about 100 years to reach population equilibrium on Earth, and then only if we consciously seek it, starting now. "Mother" starts the discussion by pointing out, first, that we have a very serious problem, and then through the voices of experts and visionaries Mother tells us what will happen if we don't address the problem. Then the movie focuses our attention on the one and only way to peacefully and painlessly decrease the population -- through family planning. And family planning requires female empowerment. The movie tears away the curtain of despair and denial, eschews violent and unethical reactions, avoids placing the blame, and shows us how to navigate though these uncertain times by empowering women. I wish I could see a sequel. It would cover the technology of contraception, the demographic pyramid, and the belief systems that stand in the way of controlling our reproduction rate. To answer the question of the previous reviewer, yes, zero population growth could be attained today if no pregnancies were unplanned.