The Cord

Le cordon

As Venezuela's healthcare system crumbles, Carolina navigates the streets of Maracaibo with sheer will, wit and community to bring new life safely into the world.

Carolina weaves through gridlocked traffic, medical shortages and broken institutions to secure care for pregnant women when no one else will. Labour pains escalate, time runs out, the risk of catastrophe is constant, and through it all Carolina brings a stubborn, cheeky humour that speaks to everyone around her. Shot and recorded by the filmmaker herself, who places her body behind the camera in challenging conditions, The Cord pulls you right into the chaos of a world where mothers, daughters and self-trained midwives have stepped in to protect life when the state has walked away. To carry and give life here has become an act of defiance.