Beyond the Data. Real lives.
A short film screening and fundraiser for Birthing the Magic Collaborative
Beyond the Data. Real lives. is an evening centered on a powerful short film, “Hatchlings”, that brings maternal health out of the headlines and into real life. We will gather to witness a story that takes us behind the numbers.
This event supports our work to deliver culturally grounded education and practical tools for Black birthing people, those who love them, and those who care for them.
❋ What you will experience
A powerful short film that brings maternal health out of the headlines and into real life, paired with the kind of warmth and clarity Birthing the Magic Collaborative is known for. You will experience community, learning, and reflection in a space where people can be fully human.
You will also meet the award winning producer, Jahmil Eady, and hear directly from him about the story, what inspired the film, and why this work matters right now.
Each ticket comes with a little treat, on us.
❋ The Flow of the Evening
We will start by naming why this night matters, then we will press play and experience the film together, all in real time, as a community.
After the screening, award winning producer Jahmil Eady will join us for a behind the scenes conversation that brings the story to life. We will talk about what inspired the film, what it reveals that the data never can, and why maternal health cannot be reduced to numbers.
Then we will open a guided reflection that feels like exhale. A space to connect, learn, and leave better resourced, with a few practical takeaways and simple next steps that help keep mothers safe, supported, and heard.
Sixteen-year-old REESE (Demi Singleton) has recently moved in with her father, LEN (Christian Robinson); pregnant stepmother, SHAYNA (Angela Lewis); and six year-old half-brother, TY (Dominic Stephens). Feeling resentful and isolated, Reese plans to move back in with her biological mother but when Shayna suddenly goes into labor, Reese is left to babysit Ty. She pushes him away and withdraws to her room. Meanwhile, Ty, who is obsessed with turtles, escapes into a fantasy world where Reese becomes a tortoise and he becomes a sea turtle. When Reese’s own fantasies are shattered, she sees that she has more in common with Ty than she thought. Reese learns the true value of family and what it means to be a big sister.
Want a Sneek Peek?
Access the film trailer HERE
Director’s Statement
Hatchlings is an intimate, nature inspired short film rooted in the producer’s family story. After losing two cousins to childbirth complications linked to preeclampsia, she was moved to explore America’s maternal health crisis and how loss reshapes families, especially Black families. Sea turtles became the film’s central metaphor, reflecting a mother’s absence, children surviving against the odds, and the “lost years” of adolescence. Set in 2007 and told through magical realism, the film honors her cousins and adopted sister while offering a tender, healing story that is not trauma forward.
Excited to meet Jahmil?
Get Your Ticket HERE!
“When I saw this film, my heart was so full. It is beautifully made, tender, and powerful without ever feeling heavy handed. Hatchlings stays with you. It leaves you with an immense sense of love for family, a deeper respect for what mothers carry, and a renewed urgency to protect them.”
~ Marie