Stories That Stay With Us
Why We’re Gathering to Screen Allowed to Birth
There are certain films that stay with you long after the credits roll.
Not because they high budget, flashy or follow the latest trends.
But because they are crafted from a deep understanding of the heart of the story and presented with a high level of skill that truly connects with viewers at a heart level.
In a time where films can so easily become fast, polished, or consumed as content, documentaries that approach birth with sensitivity, restraint, and authenticity feel increasingly rare.
Allowed to Birth - The Journey of a Global Midwife is one of those films.
Directed and filmed by Jacinta Lagos, the award-winning documentary follows the work and philosophy of global midwife Kristine Lauria — exploring birth, advocacy, and the deeply human stories that exist within the maternity and birth space around the world.
But beyond the subject matter itself, this is also the kind of filmmaking we value deeply inside Soulful Storytellers.
Observational.
Patient.
Intentional.
Emotionally grounded.
The kind of storytelling that trusts real moments enough not to over-manufacture them.
The kind of filmmaking that understands that witnessing can be more powerful than directing.
As storytellers, it’s important that we continue surrounding ourselves with films that, challenge our perspective, inspire us creatively, and reconnect us with why documentary storytelling matters in the first place.
This September, members of the Soulful Storytellers community will gather for a private early screening of Allowed to Birth ahead of wider public screenings later in the year.
With the film’s premiere screening already sold out, this gathering offers our community a rare opportunity to experience the documentary together — including many of our international members joining from around the world.
Soulful Storytellers has never simply been about learning how to use a camera or edit a sequence together.
It has always been about learning how to unlock your creative voice.
How to observe with your eyes and ears.
How to be sensitive to moments of pertinence.
How to tell stories with depth and intentionality.
The films we watch and are inspired by shape that process.
They influence the kinds of storytellers we become.
Over the coming months, as our community moves toward this year’s Film Festival and the next apprenticeship intake, we’ll continue sharing the films, conversations, and creative wins that shape this season inside Soulful Storytellers.
Meaningful storytelling is rarely built in isolation.
It’s shaped slowly — through observation, reflection, conversation, and community.
And sometimes, simply by gathering together to watch a film that reminds us why this work matters in the first place.
Your InviTation
A small number of guest seats will also be reserved for VIP members who wish to join us for the screening experience.
Further details and RSVP information will be shared with VIP members ahead of the event.
If you’d like to receive invitations to future gatherings, screenings, mentorship opportunities, and upcoming enrolment announcements, you can join the VIP list below.
Join the Soulful Storytellers VIP List for filmmaking tips, exclusive discounts and priority access to course launches, intakes and exclusive discounts.
A welcoming space for photographers ready to deepen their storytelling craft.
Written by Dania Lauren, award-winning birth filmmaker, storytelling educator, and co-creator of Soulful Storytellers, a creative community for photographers and filmmakers looking to elevate their storytelling craft. Through her studio, Lauren + Douglas, Dania creates emotive, documentary-style films for families and brands who value stories that feel as meaningful as they look.
