A Walk to Beautiful

Infobox Film
name = A Walk to Beautiful


caption =
director = Mary Olive Smith,
field director = Amy Bucher
producer = Mary Olive Smith, Steven Engel
writer =
starring =
music = David Schommer
distributor = Engel Entertainment
released = September 8, 2008 (New York), February 29, 2008 (Los Angeles)
runtime = 85 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
website = http://www.walktobeautiful.com/
amg_id = 1:394883
imdb_id = 0892112

"A Walk to Beautiful" is a 2007 American documentary film directed by Mary Olive Smith and field director Amy Bucher about the mistreatment of mothers who suffer from childbirth injuries in Ethiopia. In 2007, the film premiered and was chosen by the International Documentary Association as the best feature documentary film of the year. The following year, the film was given theatrical release in the United States.

Production and Release

Funding for the film is provided by grants from NOVA, Fistula Foundation, The Marianthi Foundation, UNFPA, The Fledgling Film Fund, and private donors.

"A Walk to Beautiful" premiered in 2007, and was theatrically released in the United States on February 8 2008 in New York and on February 29 2008 in Los Angeles. [ [http://www.film-releases.com/movies/film-information/movie-6343 A Walk to Beautiful releases] from Film-releases.com. Retrieved on March 9, 2008] [ [http://www.variety.com/profiles/Film/main/189139/A+Walk+to+Beautiful.html?dataSet=1&query=a+walk+to+beautiful A Walk to Beautiful - 2008, Amy Bucher - Variety Profiles ] ] This same year, the film airs on Public Broadcasting Service's "Nova" series, starting from May 13 2008. [ [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beautiful/ Nova series:A walk to beautiful] from Pbs.org Retrieved on March 11, 2008]

Plot

"A Walk to Beautiful" gives the stories of five women in Ethiopia who are ostracised by their family and villages due to their having suffered from obstetric fistula, a serious medical condition caused by severe or failed childbirth under conditions of inadequate health care. These women lived with the sense of loneliness and shame due to others' mistreatment of them and rejections in social interactions. Subsequently, they had to take a long and exhausting journey to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital so they could receive the medical treatment that is not available in their villages. Arriving at the hospital, the women were given free treatment, which helped them end their sufferings and gain hope in their lives.

Reception

Critical reation

The documentary was given positive reviews by critics. "Metacritic" reported the film had an average score of 82 out of 100, based on 6 reviews, classifying "A Walk to Beautiful" as a universal acclaim. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/walktobeautiful?q=a%20walk%20to%20beautiful |title= Reviews|publisher=Metacritic Retrieved on March 9, 2008] The film was regarded as "competently made, precisely shot and buoyantly humanistic" by "Variety magazine", [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935754.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 Film review] from Variety magazine Retrieved on March 9, 2008] and Kenneth Turan of "The Los Angeles Times" commented that "A Walk to Beautiful" will leave you speechless two times over – first with despair, then with joy. Neither unmentionable subject matter nor nonexistent commercial prospects can keep this documentary from having a power over your heart that is unparalleled." [ [http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-et-walk29feb29,0,1459049.story A walk to beautiful review] from "The Los Angeles Times" Retrieved on March 9, 2008] According to the "New York Times", "A Walk to Beautiful" quietly criticises a chauvinist society existed in some countries where women are considered "lovers, mothers and servants", and anyone who cannot fulfill these roles is disregarded by their community. [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/movies/08walk.html?ref=movies Healing Cultural Wounds] from New York Times Retrieved on March 9, 2008]

Box office

As of February 2008, the film had grossed $7,718 dollars in the United States. [ [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=walktobeautiful.htm "A walk to beautiful" 2008] from Box Office Mojo Retrieved on March 27, 2008]

Nominations and awards

"A Walk to Beautiful" was named by the International Documentary Association as the Best Feature documentary film of the year. [ [http://www.documentary.org/programs/awards.php Awards] from International Documentary Association. Retrieved on March 9, 2008] [ [http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117977361.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1&query=a+walk+to+beautiful 'Walk to Beautiful' tops IDA awards] from "Variety magazine"] The film also received the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Audience Choice Award and Interfaith Award for Best Documentary at the 16th Annual AT&T St. Louis International Film Festival. [ [http://fest07.sffs.org/awards/gga.php AWARDS | GOLDEN GATE AWARDS | San Francisco Film Festival ] ] [ [http://www.cinemastlouis.org/2007/sliff_awards.html Cinema St Louis ] ]

At the international Denver Film Festival, the film was given People’s Choice Award for best documentary. [ [http://www.denverfilm.org/about/news/detail.aspx?NID=103&year=2007 News in 2007 | News | Denver Film Society at the Starz FilmCenter ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.walktobeautiful.com/ Official site]
*
*
* " [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=walktobeautiful.htm A Walk to Beautiful] " at Box Office Mojo
* [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=116811&fuseaction=topics.event_summary&event_id=403438 "A Walk to Beautiful" Film Screening & Reception] with Mary Olive Smith held at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, May 2008