‘American Delivery’ Documentary on Solving the U.S. Maternal Mortality Crisis to Have National Television and Streaming Release on May 1 on Public Television Stations
Extended Version to be Released on Major Digital Platforms by Kino Lorber
Award-winning film paints a joyous portrait of the moment babies come into the world, and the heroic efforts of families and communities to catch new mothers before they fall through the broken healthcare safety net.
Screenings and Events to be Held in all 50 States During National Nurses Week
From the Filmmakers of the Acclaimed Films ‘The American Nurse,’ ‘Defining Hope,’ and ‘In Case of Emergency’
Amid a growing maternal health crisis in the U.S.—especially for women of color— nurses are at the core of systemic efforts to catch new mothers before they fall through the broken maternal health safety net. That’s the premise of the award-winning documentary American Delivery to be released on public television stations starting on May 1, 2025 from American Public Television (APT), presented by WHYY, and streaming on PBS.org. [Press Downloads]. An extended version of the film will also be widely released by Kino Lorber on May 6th.
American Delivery is directed by Carolyn Jones and produced by Lisa Frank, the team behind critically acclaimed documentaries including The American Nurse.
Filmed in Ohio, Kentucky, New York, California, Massachusetts and Tanzania, American Delivery won the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival and Ohio Humanities Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking Award at the 2024 Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. The film screened at film festivals across the country including The Boston Globe‘s GlobeDocs Film Festival, Heartland International Film Festival, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, and the United Nations Association Film Festival.
American Delivery will be released on DVD and made available to rent or own all major digital platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and Google Play on May 6 from Kino Lorber. The film will also be available to educational institutions. Kino Lorber previously partnered with the film team on The American Nurse, Defining Hope, and In Case of Emergency.
In partnership with the American Nurses Association, American College of Nurse Midwives, AARP Campaign for Action, and Nurse Family Partnership, American Delivery will be viewed in all 50 states during National Nurse Appreciation Week (May 6-12), throughout the month of May (Maternal Health Awareness Month and Women’s Health Month), and on May 5 (International Day of the Midwife), including a red carpet premiere at Walter Reade Theater at Film at Lincoln Center in New York City.
American Delivery was made possible in part through the generous support of Penn Medicine, the American Nurses Foundation, the Marian K. Shaughnessy Nurse Leadership Academy, and the Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing. The project was originally inspired by the work and influence of Dr. Joyce J. Fitzpatrick, whose research, scholarship and leadership have improved health outcomes globally.
In the U.S.—where more women die in childbirth than any other wealthy nation—the joys of pregnancy and motherhood are often overshadowed by fear. Amid a growing maternal health crisis, especially for women of color, American Delivery is a documentary that tells the story of the glimmers of hope: women finding their voice and autonomy; nurses listening to women and offering birth choices; and hospital leaders welcoming the community as the patient. The film interweaves the stories of women and their families across the U.S. as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy, mental health, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It paints a joyous portrait of the moment babies come into the world, and the heroic efforts of families and communities to catch new mothers before they fall through the broken healthcare safety net.
