Maravillas y otras historias de maternidad - un documental necesario

What is Wonders and Other Stories Of Motherhood?

Maravillas y otras historias de maternidad: The Maternal is Political is a multilingual feminist documentary that gives voice to the stories of mothers silenced by obstetric violence, patriarchal laws, and historical erasure.

For me, filming this documentary and sharing it with the world is essential. That’s why, thanks to Verkami, we’re launching this campaign—to make sure women’s voices in motherhood are heard loud, clear, and without censorship.

Will you help us make it happen? Your support will help complete the editing, subtitling, and distribution of the film, as well as create educational materials and spark an overdue conversation about our reproductive rights.

The Documentary

Shot on an iPhone between Spain and the UK, this documentary gathers intimate and powerful testimonies on:

• Motherhood as resistance

• Obstetric trauma

• Historical memory

Women’s right to make decisions about our bodies

The film begins with the real case of Adriana Smith, a pregnant woman in a vegetative state in Georgia, USA, who was kept on life support against her family’s wishes because of the abortion ban—she was just 9 weeks pregnant. Her story invites us to reflect on how little mothers’ voices are considered in conversations about motherhood. It raises critical questions about our freedom to decide how to give birth—or not—and the consequences of those decisions.

From there, the documentary weaves together interviews, archival footage, and everyday landscapes to explore how the maternal is political, asking:

What does it mean for women to be a mother—or not to be one?

I aim to move away from polarised narratives, to make space for the diverse experiences that reflect the complexity of women’s choices around motherhood in a patriarchal society.

Get Exclusive Rewards

By supporting this campaign, you can receive unique, lovingly made feminist rewards:

• Early access to the documentary before the public premiere

• Thank-you credit in the film

• Signed postcard with the documentary poster (in English or Spanish)

• Signed documentary poster

• Mini digital guide on obstetric violence

• Ticket for the online screening + live Q&A

• Access to Mara’s audio diary about the making of the documentary

Many of these items will only be available during the campaign—don’t miss them!

Who’s Behind This

I’m Mara—short for Maravillas—formerly known as Jesusa Ricoy, the director and producer of this documentary. I’m a feminist writer, perinatal educator in the UK, and women’s rights activist. My work focuses on reproductive rights.

This project was born from my own experience as a woman, mother, and daughter, and from over twenty years of listening to women—in my classes, in birthing rooms, at conferences, in the street, and online. The film also includes other mothers, as well as professionals working in the field of motherhood and reproductive rights.

You can learn more about my work at matriactivista.com

How Your Contribution Will Be Used

The funds raised will go toward:

• Professional editing of the documentary

• Bilingual subtitling

• Travel expenses

• Original music

• Graphic design and promotional materials

• Creation of educational materials

• Editing software

• Distribution and screening organisation

• Project Timeline

We estimate the full project—from pre-production to distribution—will take 6 to 8 months.

June – July 2025: Pre-production

Organisation, planning of interviews and additional filming, finalising the technical team.

August – October 2025: Production

Recording interviews, editing sound, sourcing archival material, and designing graphics.

November 2025 – January 2026: Editing

Final cut, colour correction, bilingual subtitles, original music.

February – April 2026: Distribution

Delivery of rewards, online viewing for backers, public premiere, social media and festival promotion.

+ Info

Follow me to see the creative process and learn more:

Instagram:@matriactivista

Visit my website

Or email me at: [email protected]

Thank you endlessly. This is for all of us.