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Arrest the Midwife

Play trailer Arrest the Midwife 2025 1h 22m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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Caught between the law and the well-being of the Amish and Mennonite families they serve, midwives in upstate New York operate in a healthcare desert -- risking jail time simply for providing critical care. As their midwives are arrested, the women from these insular communities break from their traditions to become unexpected activists, fighting for systemic change. With exceptionally rare and intimate access, director Elaine Epstein crafts a powerful David-and-Goliath story of resilience and resistance. Set against the backdrop of America’s maternal health crisis and the erosion of reproductive rights, ARREST THE MIDWIFE is both a poignant portrait of a community in crisis and an urgent call to protect every woman’s right to choose how she brings the next generation into the world.

Critics Reviews

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Jessi Cape Austin Chronicle Mar 18
This documentary challenges assumptions, urging viewers to rethink who controls birth – and why. Go to Full Review Douglas Davidson Elements of Madness Mar 15
3.5/5
The human touch is lost in the industrialization of medicine, which is what "Arrest the Midwife" comes down to at the core. Go to Full Review Andrew Osborne culturevulture.net Mar 14
As much as the scenario may sound like some high concept screenwriter’s pitch, that’s exactly what happened (sans Oscar-bait histrionics) in pandemic-era New York state -- as chronicled by Elaine Epstein’s quietly powerful documentary about Old Order. Go to Full Review Nadia Dalimonte Next Best Picture Mar 12
7/10
With the focus on midwives’ perspectives, the documentary powerfully shows how their arrests ignite an entire community to start speaking up and get to legislative work. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Elaine Epstein

Director

Elaine Epstein

Producer

Robin Hessman

Producer
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Arrest the Midwife

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Movie Info

Synopsis Caught between the law and the well-being of the Amish and Mennonite families they serve, midwives in upstate New York operate in a healthcare desert -- risking jail time simply for providing critical care. As their midwives are arrested, the women from these insular communities break from their traditions to become unexpected activists, fighting for systemic change. With exceptionally rare and intimate access, director Elaine Epstein crafts a powerful David-and-Goliath story of resilience and resistance. Set against the backdrop of America’s maternal health crisis and the erosion of reproductive rights, ARREST THE MIDWIFE is both a poignant portrait of a community in crisis and an urgent call to protect every woman’s right to choose how she brings the next generation into the world.
Director
Elaine Epstein
Producer
Elaine Epstein, Robin Hessman
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 22m