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Deep Dive: Babies (2010)

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Babies
Babies is a 2010 French documentary directed by Thomas Balmès that follows four newborns from different cultural backgrounds during their first year of life. The film features Ponijao from Opuwo, Namibia, and Bayarjargal from Bayanchandmani, Mongolia, representing rural settings, alongside Mari from Tokyo, Japan, and Hattie from San Francisco, U.S., representing urban environments. The documentary captures the daily lives and experiences of these infants without narration, allowing viewers to interpret the contrasts in their upbringing and environments. The film opens with Ponijao's birth in a modest hut, while Hattie is born in a Western NICU filled with medical equipment. Other scenes depict Bayar's tightly swaddled birth in a hospital and his family's motorcycle ride to their rural home. The film presents various cultural practices, such as Ponijao playing on the ground with a sibling and Bayar bathing while a goat drinks from the water, showcasing the differences and similarities in early childhood experiences across cultures.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Ponijao in Namibia's rural setting
  • •See Hattie in a high-tech NICU
  • •Find out how Bayar travels by motorcycle

Did You Know

•The film grossed $10,219,306 worldwide.
•Babies was released in the U.S. on May 7, 2010.
•69% of 91 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes favored the film.
•The film has a duration of 79 minutes.

Perfect For

Cultural contrastsParenting insightsDocumentary enthusiasts