Made In India - Movie Review - 2010

After seven years of trying to have a baby, Lisa and Brian Switzer, a San Antonio, Texas couple, decide to sell their house and use the proceeds, and all of their savings, to hire a surrogate mother in Mumbai, India, to bear their child. Aasia Khan accepts the assignment as a way to earn money to support and educate her own children, but keeps the agreement secret because of the shame it might bring upon her. The match is arranged by one of the medical tourism companies that runs this fairly common sort of transaction, negotiating fees and facilitating all practical aspects of the 'womb for rent' relationship.

Made In India puts a human face on the phenomena of 'outsourcing' pregnancy to surrogate mothers in India. It reveals the emotions and concerns of both the American couple who seek and hire a surrogate mother, and of the woman who decides to carry their multiple fetuses for a fee.

Without editorializing, directors Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha use candid on camera interviews and footage of the characters in their daily lives to present the pros and cons of the 'womb for rent' situation for both parties to the agreement. Through fly on the wall observation of the circumstances of the wannabe parents and the surrogate mother, and obtaining candid interviews with all involved, the filmmakers not only tell a compelling story, they create an arena for consideration of third world surrogate parenting from an ethical point of view. The film is beautifully shot and skillfully edited. It deals with real problems and anyone who is thinking of hiring a surrogate mother and/or arranging for one to be hired should see the film before making any commitments.

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Film Details:

• Title: Made In India
• Directors: Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha
• Premiere: 1 October 2010 (Woodstock Film Festival)
• Running Time: 95 mins.
• Parents Advisory: Advisory for content
• Location: USA, India
• Language: English, Hindi with English subtitles
• Official Site