It’s been a fantastic year for birth documentaries. First there was the Business of Being Born (now available on Netflix) making a big splash in the media and causing panic in the AMA. Next came Orgasmic Birth (there will be big screen showings in Yellow Springs and Columbus this month), showing a beautiful alternative to the usual medicalized hospital delivery. And in December, Pregnant in America will be coming out as well.

The Other Side of The Glass takes a perspective that is completely different from any of these films. ACOG’s anti-home statement criticizes women for ostensibly prioritizing their “experience” above safety, but what is rarely considered is that childbirth is experienced by two people. And while mothers giving birth in hospitals often feel vulnerable and powerless, unable to prevent unnecessary procedures and interventions, their baby, fully conscious but unable to articulate his or her experience, is even more vulnerable.

This documentary will advocate for humanizing our treatment of newborn infants in all birth settings, and its target audience is fathers:  appealling to their natural role as protector of mother and infant, and empowering them to take up that cause for the sake of their families. The title is taken from the experience of a father in a hospital, watching helplessly from behind a plate glass window as his screaming newborn is poked and prodded by a stranger.

The ten minute trailer can be seen here.