Bringemovies
← Browse Movies
Pacific Mother
TITLE DETAILS

Pacific Mother

2023-08-24 · 88 min · ★ 9.0

Documentary

Pacific Mother journeys from Japan, to Hawaii, Tahiti, Rarotonga and Aotearoa to share interwoven stories of formidable women who live at one with the Pacific Ocean – freediving, spearfishing and paddling waka through its depths and playing with their children in its shallows – a stark contrast to fast-paced lifestyles of larger towns or cities. These women are all mothers who experienced diverse births in hospital, at home and by the sea, with and without medical assistance. Fukumoto also meets Māori and Japanese midwives who share indigenous traditions and rituals around birth that have been lost over recent generations, and are now gradually being reclaimed. Their stories demonstrate just how disconnected the global default maternity system is from the instinctive and cultural needs of mothers and families. They inspire a call to action on birthing rights, as well as a call for parents’ reconnection with their role as nurturers and protectors of their natural environment.

Open detail page

Trailers are previews, not full movies.

No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.

Production details

Directors
Katherine McRae
Production companies
UMI Films
Countries
Japan, New Zealand, United States of America
Status
Released

Top Cast

Sachiko FukumotoSachiko FukumotoHerself
Kimi WernerHerself
Ioana TuriaHerself
Rava RayHerself
Ana MaineHerself
William TruebridgeHimself

Title information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.

Where to watch

Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.

Availability not listed for this country.

Recommendations

One Child Nation
★ 7.2
One Child Nation2019Documentary

Through interviews with both victims and instigators, Nanfu Wang, a first-time mother, breaks open decades of silence on a vast, unprecedented social experiment that shaped — and destroyed — countless lives in China.

Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds
★ 7.4
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds2016Documentary

An intimate portrait of Hollywood royalty featuring Debbie Reynolds, Todd Fisher, and Carrie Fisher.

Dolphin Reef
★ 6.8
Dolphin Reef2018Documentary

Echo is a youngster who can't quite decide if it's time to grow up and take on new responsibilities-or give in to her silly side and just have fun. Dolphin society is tricky, and the coral reef that Echo and his family call home depends on all of its inhabitants to keep it healthy. But Echo has a tough time resisting the many adventures the ocean has to offer.

Heart of a Dog
★ 6.5
Heart of a Dog2015Documentary

Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.

Leviathan
★ 6.5
Leviathan2013Documentary

An experimental portrait of the North American commercial fishing industry through the lens of GoPro cameras placed on a fishing vessel off the coast of New England.

The Cave
★ 7.2
The Cave2019Documentary

Deep beneath the surface in the Syrian province of Ghouta, a group of female doctors have established an underground field hospital. Under the supervision of paediatrician Dr. Amani and her staff of doctors and nurses, hope is restored for some of the thousands of children and civilian victims of the ruthless Syrian civil war.

Under the Sea 3D
★ 7.0
Under the Sea 3D2009Documentary

Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats. Of fish disguised as frogs, stones and shag carpets. Of a kaleidoscope of life dancing and weaving, floating and darting in an underwater wonderland. Now, go explore it! Howard Hall and his filmmaking team, who brought you Deep Sea and Into the Deep, take you into tropical waters alive with adventure: the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms. Narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring astonishing camerawork, this amazing film brings you face to fin with Nature's marvels, from the terrible grandeur (and terrible teeth) of a Great White to the comic antics of a lovestruck cuttlefish. Excitement and fun run deep Under the Sea!

My Beautiful Broken Brain
★ 7.0
My Beautiful Broken Brain2014Documentary

A profoundly personal voyage into the complexity, fragility and wonder of the human brain, after Lotje Sodderland miraculously survives a hemorrhagic stroke and finds herself starting again in an alien world, bereft of language and logic. This feature documentary takes us on a genre-twisting tale that is by turns excruciating and exquisite - from the devastating consequences of a first-time neurological experiment, through to the extraordinary revelations of her altered sensory perception.

My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
★ 6.4
My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn2015Documentary

A documentary directed by Winding Refn's wife, Liv Corfixen, and it follows the Danish-born filmmaker during the making of his 2013 film Only God Forgives.

My Mom Jayne
★ 8.0
My Mom Jayne2025Documentary

Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.

Earth: One Amazing Day
★ 7.7
Earth: One Amazing Day2017Documentary

An astonishing journey revealing the awesome power of the natural world. Over the course of one single day, we track the sun from the highest mountains to the remotest islands to exotic jungles.

Maternal Instinct
★ 7.2
Maternal Instinct2026Documentary

Police pull over a woman who claims she just gave birth. But the baby — and the blood — aren't hers. Twisted lies unravel in this true-crime documentary.

David Lynch: The Art Life
★ 7.0
David Lynch: The Art Life2017Documentary

An intimate journey through the formative years of David Lynch's life. From his idyllic upbringing in small town America to the dark streets of Philadelphia, we follow Lynch as he traces the events that have helped to shape one of cinema's most enigmatic directors.

Blackfish
★ 7.8
Blackfish2013Documentary

Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four
★ 6.8
Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four2015Documentary

A history of the ill-fated 1994 production of “The Fantastic Four” that was executive produced by Roger Corman.

Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea
★ 7.2
Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea2026Documentary

Never-before-seen footage and survivor accounts trace the 2012 shipwreck of a luxury cruise and the disaster that ensued, in this immersive documentary.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return
★ 6.8
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return2022Documentary

This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.

The Age of Stupid
★ 6.6
The Age of Stupid2009Documentary

Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

The Cheshire Murders
★ 6.5
The Cheshire Murders2013Documentary

In the early-morning hours of July 23, 2007, in Cheshire, Conn., ex-convicts Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky broke into the family home of William Petit, his wife, Jennifer, and their daughters, Michaela, 11, and Hayley, 17. Dr. Petit was beaten and tied to a pole in the basement. The three women were bound in their bedrooms while the men ransacked the house. The brutal ordeal continued throughout the morning, ending with rape, arson and a horrific triple homicide.

Girl Rising
★ 7.0
Girl Rising2013Documentary

Nine filmmakers each profile a young girl from a different part of the world to weave a global tapestry of youth in the 21st century.

Similar titles

Gabart, quand gagner ne suffit plus
Not rated
Gabart, quand gagner ne suffit plus2024Documentary

ane´ma
Not rated
ane´ma2025Documentary

Mega Predators of Oz
Not rated
Mega Predators of Oz2021Documentary

In Australia, sharks have recently been recorded with unusual prey-including other sharks. In order to figure out what has caused this shift in diet, Dr. Charlie Huvaneers and team head to shark infested waters to find out what's in the stomach of a great white - and why.

Jane: An Abortion Service
★ 3.3
Jane: An Abortion Service1995Documentary

This fascinating political look at a little-known chapter in women's history tells the story of "Jane", the Chicago-based women's health group who performed nearly 12,000 safe illegal abortions between 1969 and 1973 with no formal medical training. As Jane members describe finding feminism and clients describe finding Jane, archival footage and recreations mingle to depict how the repression of the early sixties and social movements of the late sixties influenced this unique group. Both vital knowledge and meditation on the process of empowerment, Jane: An Abortion Service showcases the importance of preserving women's knowledge in the face of revisionist history. JANE: AN ABORTION SERVICE was funded by the Independent Television Service (ITVS) with funds provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Black Pénélope1991Documentary

A discovery of the pictorial art that Ndebele women traditionally practice in South Africa: painting the walls of their houses.

unsichtbar. - Was Endometriose bedeutet.
Not rated
unsichtbar. - Was Endometriose bedeutet.2026Documentary

Stories Are in Our Bones
Not rated
Stories Are in Our Bones2020Documentary

In this layered short film, filmmaker Janine Windolph takes her young sons fishing with their kokum (grandmother), a residential school survivor who retains a deep knowledge and memory of the land. The act of reconnecting with their homeland is a cultural and familial healing journey for the boys, who are growing up in the city. It’s also a powerful form of resistance for the women.

Earth
★ 7.7
Earth2007Documentary

An epic story of adventure, starring some of the most magnificent and courageous creatures alive, awaits you in EARTH. Disneynature brings you a remarkable story of three animal families on a journey across our planet – polar bears, elephants and humpback whales.

Welcome Home Freckles
★ 6.0
Welcome Home Freckles2025Documentary

After four years away, Huiju returns home to South Korea. Exchanges with her loved ones are awkward and clumsy. Huiju turns once again to her familiar rituals: pruning the trees, preparing a sauce, tying a braid.

Rewinding Dominoes
Not rated
Rewinding Dominoes2025Documentary

In her attempt to escape her past, Huiju relocated to the UK over 11 months ago. However, even after moving to a new country, she found that her nightmares from Korea continued to haunt her. Determined to move forward, she made the decision to confront her memories head-on in a very contemporary way, using dating apps to push the boundaries she had set due to her sexual trauma.

The Labour of Pain and Joy
★ 5.5
The Labour of Pain and Joy2024Documentary

The birth experience affects the whole life. Two Finnish birth experts, midwife Kirsi and doula (birth support person) Anna-Riitta, work to improve birth practices and empower birth givers. Observational yet strongly cinematic, The Labour of Pain and Joy explores the personal, social and mythic levels of birth.

Segeljungs - Mit Null Ahnung um die Welt
Not rated
Segeljungs - Mit Null Ahnung um die Welt2026Documentary

Four Bavarians with no sailing experience decide to conquer the world's oceans. They are confronted with the untamed power of the sea, unexpected meetings and new challenges.

Strike! The Women Who Fought Back
Not rated
Strike! The Women Who Fought Back2024Documentary

In their own words, this is the story of six women from the South Wales valleys and how they helped sustain the bitter year-long miners' strike, changing their lives forever.

Mission Blue
★ 7.4
Mission Blue2014Documentary

This documentary follows oceanographer Sylvia Earle's campaign to save the world's oceans from threats such as overfishing and toxic waste.

Ocean Odyssey
★ 7.4
Ocean Odyssey2006Documentary

The largest predator on the planet, the sperm whale, is your host for an amazing exploration of the final frontier – the world at the bottom of the ocean. From the makers of the Walking With series comes this incredible marine tour, in which you'll witness a rarely seen world of hidden mountain ranges, majestic canyons, volcanoes and the beautiful and often deadly creatures that inhabit the deep sea.

Ocean Voyagers
★ 6.5
Ocean Voyagers2007Documentary

Ocean Voyagers explores the familiar themes of motherhood and parenting in a world as unfamiliar as it is breathtaking. Featuring a precocious newborn humpback calf and his enormous 40 ton mother, we are taken on a journey of discovery into their world.

Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy
★ 7.0
Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy2020Documentary

Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy, tells the story of Mike deGruy, an irrepressibly curious and enthusiastic underwater filmmaker who died suddenly in 2012. DeGruy filmed the oceans for more than three decades becoming as famous for his on camera storytelling as for his glorious, intimate visions of the sea and the creatures who live in it. Inspired to share his legacy as a filmmaker and storyteller, and to spread his mission for protecting the ocean, his wife and filmmaking partner Mimi deGruy returned to the edit room to produce Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy.

Blue Motion: Rulers of the Oceans
Not rated
Blue Motion: Rulers of the Oceans2004Documentary

The fascinating world of ocean fauna: dangerous sharks, majestic stingrays, brilliantly coloured fish and a variety of species from the diver's paradise of the Maldives. Spectacular images of the diverse life-forms to be found under water.

HAND. LINE. COD.
Not rated
HAND. LINE. COD.2016Documentary

In the coldest waters surrounding Newfoundland's rugged Fogo Island, "people of the fish"—traditional fishers—catch cod live by hand, one at a time, by hook and line. After a 20-year moratorium on North Atlantic cod, the stocks are returning. These fishers are leading a revolution in sustainability, taking their premium product directly to the commercial market for the first time. Travel with them from the early morning hours, spend time on the ocean, and witness the intricacies of a 500-year-old tradition that's making a comeback.

Le Pays taliban
★ 8.0
Le Pays taliban2026Documentary

Almost five years after their return to power, a new era has dawned under the yoke of the Taliban, an inflexible fundamentalist regime. Under their rule, the former republic has disappeared, replaced by an ultra-rigid power structure closed off from the rest of the world and the foreign press. An "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", largely unrecognised, even by Islamic theocracies. After four shoots, mainly carried out outside the official framework, "The Taliban Country" offers a glimpse into the heart of this new Afghan reality. Through the eyes of the men and women facing these upheavals, the film paints a portrait of a paradoxical and radical system. It offers an in-depth look at the workings of a state characterised by extreme rigour, unparalleled in the contemporary world.

Your favorites

Recently viewed

Watch

Choose an authorized server.

Full video from an operator-configured authorized source. Official trailers use a separate player. If a server fails, retry or select another authorized server.

Legal watch options

Official trailer

Trailer preview only. Press Play to start.

Privacy choices

Favorites stay in your browser. Movie images load from TMDb. YouTube trailers contact YouTube only after you allow external media and choose a trailer. Advertising consent, if ads are enabled, is managed separately by the operator’s certified CMP.

Privacy policy

After allowing external media, choose the trailer button to load its player.