Congratulations Teta film for the nomination for best Documentary at iChill Manila Int Film Fest!

In Teta, Alexandra Hidalgo tells the story of her journey nursing her youngest son, Santiago, for twenty-two months. Teta uses Hidalgo’s narration and the footage shot by her husband to portray the ups and downs of nursing a baby as a working mother of two. As the film shows Santiago go from his first nursing session minutes after being born to his last as a walking and talking toddler, Teta illustrates the transcendent emotional bond created by nursing, not only between mother and child but between all members of the family.

Although nursing is one of the most natural ways two human beings can connect and it comes with countless health benefits for mother and child, it is a misunderstood and to some even controversial practice. Teta does not discuss the science behind nursing. There are copious books, websites, organizations, and activist groups that do admirable and effective work disseminating that information. The film doesn’t directly address those who find nursing in public or in the work place to be problematic either. Instead it tells the story of the ways in which a family comes together through nursing.

By providing viewers with an intimate portrayal of what nursing looks and feels like for all members of a household, the filmmakers hope to help demystify the practice and to invite others to share their personal stories around nursing. When combined with the extensive research that has been done about the benefits of nursing, personal stories like Teta can help deepen our understanding of how powerful and life-altering a practice nursing can be.