SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! Baby is a touching film that shows a new side to childbirth. Childbirth is both beauty and intimacy. Director James Di Martino and screenwriter Llewellyn Micheal Bates show that delicate balance as two individuals with Down Syndrome desire to have a child. It adds a completely different perspective as most films depict childbirth as a sacrifice, having a religious meaning, or indicating a specific message.
We follow Mikaela (Erin Kearns) as she decides to have a baby after witnessing a horrifying car accident where a pregnant woman is killed. She and her boyfriend, Eric Charles (Michael Buxton), watch a cheesy talk show called You Are The Father, which inspires them to get into a romantic mood. The couple have a special bond, except Eric can be boastful and naively enthusiastic. The only caveat is that Mikaela’s older sister, Jess (Yiana Pandelis), is concerned that child services will take away her child. She also worries about her sister due to her trauma from the day the pregnant woman died.
“…two individuals with down syndrome desire to have a child.”
The stakes are high as the couple live in a monitored group home. Things go south when Eric gets drunk and starts touching Mikaela’s stomach while dancing at his birthday party. This leads to the assisted living supervisor calling child services. The incident creates painful situations and breaks Mikaela’s heart as she gives birth to a baby boy. What will happen after the child is born?
James Di Martino crafted a well-made film in Baby. He handles the subject matter with respect. All the performances are natural. Kearns is a talented actress who is on the road to a great career. Her acting is phenomenal during the hospital scene. You can feel the weight of the moment as her character pushes out the baby. The cinematography is dreamlike, thanks to Alexander Naughton. Naughton conveys Mikaela and Eric’s pure love with intimate shots of them lit by golden sunlight.
Baby definitely needs to be seen as it provides a new point of view on childbirth. Di Martino and his crew do an excellent job respecting those with Down syndrome without resorting to pity or treating them as inhuman (ex., The Miracle Worker). Mikaela and Eric are fleshed out just like any neurotypical character would be.
Baby screened at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival.
"…[does] an excellent job respecting those with Down syndrome..."
