Motherhood
Narrative Short, 2026
A pregnant trans woman in the heat of active labor battles strict medical protocols and her family’s doubts to have a natural birth
NICKI is one of the first trans women to carry a baby to term as part of a groundbreaking uterine transplant trial. Just hours before her scheduled C-section, her water breaks—something the doctors said couldn’t happen. Her physician urges her to stick to protocol, warning that the outcome of her birth could impact access for future trans patients. Her husband, BENNY, and her father, AL, beg her to comply. But Nicki chooses to follow her instinct and pursue a natural birth at home. She’ll give birth on her terms.
The Story
Starring:
Nicki: Quei Tann
Benny: Dennis Mashevsky
Albert: Paul Jerome
Margaret: Jen Richards
Doctor Conard: Matt Peters
Crew:
Written and Directed by Ava Corder
Producers: Ivana Kingston, Veronica Contreras, Dylan Schmoll, Ava Corder
Executive Producers: Jaclyn Moore, Quei Tann, Richard Contreras, Sam Corder
Associate Producers: We Make Movies, Stephan Fleet, Vadim Mashevsky
Director of Photography: Maryn McGaw
1st AC: Cammie Dawson
AD: Ivana Kingston
UPM: Veronica Contreras
Gaffer: Lillith Carlon
Gaffer: Leash Clifford
Key Grip: Jackson Richardson
Production Designer: Lauren Lopez-Doble
Sound: Aniket Solanki
MU/SFX: Shy Elizabeth
Script Supervisor: Josh Stein
Caterer: Alexandra Hayden
Caterer: Gigi Servant
PA: Hannah Harmison
PA: Mina Maderi
PA: Robert Layth
BTS: Alexandra Chandra
BTS: Shadi Petosky
Editor: Ji Ye Won
Composer: Natasha Frank
Cellist: Alex Mansour
Sound Design: Noah Chevan
Colorist: Walter Volpatto
Project sponsored by The Q26