THE MIDWIFE

After failing the entrance exam to become a doctor, Léopold is relegated to midwifery, rather acome down from his perspective, and it shows. Clearly, delivering babies is a challenging profession for a young man who comes from a hyper male background of three younger brothers and a macho father, and gets a baptism of fire in a world dominated by women, and particularly his boss Nathalie. From their first meeting, when Leo makes a fuss about wearing the obligatory pink overalls, Nathalie will knock him into shape by the sheer force of her experience and personality and challenge his misconceptions about childbirth and what it takes to bring the next generation into the world – in graphic detail – these scenes providing the film with considerable emotional freight.

Fulmuria

• “Midman”, a term that does not exist. Because we say “the midwife”  when the profession is practiced by a person of the male sex, the word “woman” designating the person who gives birth, and “wise” the person who accompanies her.
  (Le Monde)

• A jewel of impertinence, humour and pedagogy.
  Closer

• Tender, profound, without refusing a welcome hint of lightness, this is the finely written portrait of a young midwifery student discovering the life that is beginning and the women around him.
  Paris Match

• A feminist hospital comedy and touching tale of transmission, the film is a moving tribute to a sadly overlooked profession, thanks to heart–felt performances and scintillating on–screen chemistry between charismatic breakdancer– turned–actor Melvin Boomer and the ever– accomplished Karin Viard, as his foil and (very sage) midwife mentor.
  The American French Film Festival

• Run and discover this feminist coming–of–age story. You will laugh, be outraged, moved to tears… And all this, within minutes of each other.
  Translated from Marie Claire review quote
  

• Let’s salute the young actor who plays Leopold, Melvin Boomer (…) Going from rap to the changing table was not easy. Melvin Boomer gracefully embodies a gentle masculinity, which does not fall from the sky, but is built little by little and comes about through the discovery of the profession – undoubtedly this is the most important political dimension of the film. Unexpectedly, this comedy deals with the social climate, the importance of human relationships.
  Le Monde

• Above all, we learn, like the protagonist, to leave behind the cliché of a feminine and shameful profession for aspiring doctors. And for that, Sage–Homme is well worth seeing. Above all, Karin Viard continues her streak of playing a woman of strong convictions. She’s brilliant in her role as the department’s loudmouth and is almostalone a good reason to see the film.
  Sortir à Paris

   

• Devoldère covers all the birth bases: the complicated cases, the tragic ones and, ultimately, the legal ones, which gives the film its final sting. We learn a lot about being midwife and why working in the professional can be so controversial, yet so totally reliant on people who care and are prepared to give it their all. People like Nathalie, with Viard managing to ooze sensuality while being up to her elbows in blood and gore.
  Fulmuria

• The American French Film Festival : (Ex COLCOA) United States 2023 – French film selection
• Helvetia French Film Festival: Switzerland, 2023 – Premier German Switzerland
• Festa do Cinema Francês Portugal, 2023 New in Portugal