It’s powerful.
Earlier in the month, a friend and I went to Long Island in New York State for Jamal Smart’s first film screening in his hometown. Since October, the new indie director anticipated the night he would show his “baby” about postpartum depression to the people close to home. It’s not out yet, so I cannot talk about it here how I would want, but it covers the many shades of how the married couple navigated their new lives from the day they left the hospital with their first child. The film is called ‘Behind the Joy’.
Before watching Smart’s film, I didn’t know much about the rawness attached to childbirth, postnatal care, or how a birth mother’s mind could suddenly change for the worse. As we’ve seen play out (in the media) recently, sometimes, it gets so dark that the mothers begin to resent their babies, endure detachment from their newborns, and want to harm their infants. Sadly, I did not understand the depth of what some women go through because none of the women in my life shared unembellished stories with me. It must hurt when they think about it in hindsight, so I could try to understand why. The women in my family speak freely about nearly everything except for the nooks and crannies of when their babies were born.
Surprisingly, that changed last week when I watched the playback from Smart’s film screening. My sister overheard the audio. It’s when she decided to share a glimpse of her tumultuous journey with postpartum depression. She added it is vital to have an emotionally present partner.
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A few years ago, during the pandemic, I asked my sister and mother about parturition or childbirth. Without the ladies getting into plain details, they’d say things like, “It’s worth it”, “You don’t remember”, or the one my mother enjoys saying to me, “I don’t know how you’re going to give birth to anybody. Everything hurts…”
If we’re keeping it real, I don’t know either. After watching ‘Behind the Joy’, I still can’t fully identify with the lead actress or any mothers out there because I haven’t had children of my own. Healthwise, it’s probably for the best, but I could adopt a child or two. As the publicist working on the indie film, it was remarkable to witness the audience’s reaction to key moments and to see the standing ovation he received.
Watch the trailers for the film below and visit the official website to learn more. You may see my testimony.
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If you are in the dark about postpartum depression and want to learn more, I suggest you research online and talk to the people in your family and your friends. You might learn something.
