Kickstarter

Never fear, your DVDs are on the way--

This is what we've been up to for a week already:

We've weathered confusing customs forms, snafus at the production facility, impenetrable tech issues (not to mention envelopes just a teeny bit too small), but the DVDs are going out the door. We are determined independent filmmakers after all, and we can do this (our mantra!) Thank you a million times over for your patience. If you haven't received anything by the end of next week please let us know. Those of you who opted for digital delivery should have received a link this morning.

Meanwhile, BIRTH STORY is, as of today, available to the general public on DVD and online at birthstorymovie.com, as well as on Amazon and iTunes. Your support allowed us to bring the film to audiences around the world with over 200 community screenings and sold out theatrical openings in New York City, Portland, Santa Fe, Toronto and San Francisco. (Our favorite request for a screening came from Antarctica! no lie--Antarctica!) AND in addition to raising awareness and inspiring audiences, the film has helped non-profits devoted to maternal health raise thousands of dollars. We feel blessed to have been a part of this project and hope you do too... 

We are also pleased to let you know that birth educators and academics have begun using the film for their work in the classroom. Harvard, Yale, and Brown University have all joined the ranks of the fantastic institutions that now include the film in their collections. (The educational license comes with the right to use the film in classrooms, libraries and training programs, and comes with discussion materials. Click here for more information.)

Please let your Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Pals know that your Kickstarter donation helped make this film possible and link to us at: http://birthstorymovie.com--you will be supporting independent film, women’s leadership, and positive stories about women’s bodies all in one fell swoop.

With hearty appreciation,

Sara and Mary

Hello Friends! 

Happy New Year to all of you! 

We are gearing up for a very fruitful and BUSY 2013! There are so many exciting things happening and it is all thanks to your wonderful and ongoing support of our film. We are so grateful that you have helped us to complete the film and share it with audiences all over the world! 

It has been so inspiring to work with individuals and local birth organizations to plan community screenings that raise awareness and funds for non-profits devoted to maternal health. And all of the great feedback has led to interest from movie theaters in NYC, Portland, San Francisco and Santa Fe. Our dreams to screen the film theatrically are coming true! 

We can’t wait to hop on the plane to NYC in a couple weeks for the films run at the IFC Center from January 16-24. Ina May will be joining us there for Q and A’s on Jan 16th and 17th. Then the film travels to Portland, Oregon to play at the The Clinton St Theater from February 1-7. On March 8-14 it will be at the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco and at Center for Contemporary Arts, in Santa Fe, NM. 

We’d love to see you there! 

Also we are very happy to announce that our DVD release is planned for Mothers Day 2013. We are working hard on DVD extras and are excited to share some deleted scenes and other charming and fun Ina May moments that didn’t make it into the film. 

We know you are all eager to receive the DVDs that were part of your donation on Kickstarter! These will still be shipped in Spring 2013. In the meantime, we hope you have received your Birth Story totes, Lemon Posters and pins in the mail. 

If you want to plan a screening in your area, email us at info@birthstorymovie.com. For a small license fee, you will receive the rights to show the film publicly, and charge for tickets to raise money for a local birth organization. You can check if any screenings are planned yet in your area at: http://birthstorymovie.com/screenings/ 

If you have seen the film, we would love for you to share your thoughts on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/birthstorymovie 

Thank you all so much again for all your support! We could not have done it with out you. 

Much love, 

Sara and Mary 

PS Check out our new trailer—a new song and some new graphics! Click here: http://birthstorymovie.com/home/

Dear lovely supporters,

Just letting you know that we are busy as bees over here at Birth Story headquarters. Your support has allowed us to hire a screenings coordinator who will be coordinating community screenings all over the US (and the world!) and we are working with an incredible childbirth educator and writer who is helping us develop an educational package that focuses on the power of story telling in birth. We are excited about these developments, and very excited about this review, which appeared yesterday, in Variety:

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117948007/

In the meantime, we will be contacting you as soon as we can, for your addresses and the like, and starting to send out your rewards as soon as we are able to get them manufactured. It may take a few months so please be patient with us (The DVDs will be out in the Spring, FYI). Just letting you know that we are working on a lot of fronts and haven't forgotten about you...on the contrary, we think about you every day! And we will be in touch soon!

In gratitude,

Sara and Mary

19 hours to go on this incredible kickstarting ride--thanks to all 1124 of you who have pledged so far! We are up late tonight, checking emails while the kids sleep, looking up at the California stars, and giving thanks for all the support...this filmmaking thing isn't easy, but when you have a village of women and men helping, it makes all the difference in the world. 

Meanwhile...If you have any friends who still want one of those fancy, director-signed, screen-printed 14x22 Your Body is Not a Lemon posters...tell them they have less than a day to get one!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/birthstory/birth-story-pushes-on-to-the-los-angeles-film-fest

sending heaps of thank yous and a special shout out to Australia,

Sara and Mary