A Maculate Non-Conception

Inna Denisova | Russia | 2018 | 93 mins

 

Maculate Non-Conception Synopsis

Inna Denisova, the director, who’s turning 40, is advised to start the IVF treatment immediately. Inna is not married, her boyfriend doesn’t want children. Russia doesn’t provide any support for the IVF treatment for singles. Following her path, she meets the women in similar situation.

One, married after 40, gave up the idea of motherhood. The other doesn’t want to be a single parent. The next single has the embryo with donor’s sperm. Next one made an agreement with her gay friend. One depressed after 3 unsuccessful attempts. One doubts if she wants. One has a contract to work abroad, which makes it difficult. 8 women from worldwide, 8 different stories. The IVF specialist, the therapist, the astrologist of the Indian Vedic tradition, the Orthodox priest, all arguing about infertility and late childbirth.

About Inna Denisova

Inna Denisova is a Russian journalist and filmmaker. Graduated of Moscow State University as a teacher of Russian language and literature Started her career as a musical journalist and film critic. Has worked for lot’s of medias including Time Out, Hollywood Reporter, Interview, Radio Liberty ( Radio Fee Europe) and many other Russian sources. In 2007 she entered the High Courses of Script-Writers and Directors and studied script-writing. Her first documentary Back Home was released 1 year after Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and based on her personal experience as a native Crimean.

The World Premiere of the movie was 28.10.2015 on the Leipzig. Doc. film festival. The film was shown in many festivals and got a special mention in Film Festival Cottbus ( Germany) and One World Bruxelles ( Belgium). During the years 2015-2017 was the part of the documentary projects The signs of life on Radio Liberty ( Radio Free Europe). For these years she has produced more than 20 short documentaries. The 13-minute film “Fire,come with me” was shown at ArtDocFest Moscow festival. Her 2nd full-length documentary is based on personal experience as well.

Director’s Statement

The age of conceiving a child in the modern world is increasing. Less and less women want to give birth at the young age. 20es are the new 30es, 30-es are the new 40-es. The story is a portrait of the generation who were born in the same year when IVF was invented. Who are grew up together with the scientific researchers, inventing the new options, such as oocytes cryo conservation. The generation of modern women, who start thinking about motherhood close the age of 40.

The youth time was broadened thanks to all modern world options. The only problem which stays is a biological age. It may be hard to conceive after 40. Almost impossible to do it naturally. And rather not easy with IVF, which is nowadays seen as a placebo. The movie tells different stories of the women, who faced this problem and touches it’s different aspects. Is it possible to live a happy family life without children? What if you are 40+ and don’t have a partner?

What is the percentage of IVF successful cases? And what’s the age limit? The director, who overcomes this problem herself, meets 8 women with their private cases – some gave up the idea of having a child, some ready to sacrifice everything, all their force and money, some in depression after unsuccessful IVF cases, some in doubts, should they come trough the process or not.

The problem of the mismatch of modern women requests, desires and possibilities and the nature capability is a question, which bothers lots of women on the planet. The IVF ethic and legislative questions are not regulated either. The processes of oocytes cryoconservation and egg donation are being discussed in different ways in different societies.

Some ban the donation, even the developed societies, due to ethic questions. Some are insisting on non-anonymous donation and ban the selling of the biological material. The situation is quite new for ethical and legislative sphere, so it’s been passionately discussed.