Two Mothers (2013) Zwei Mütter

Director: Anne Zohra Berrached
Writer: Anne Zohra Berrached
Stars: Karina Plachetka, Sabine Wolf, Florian Weber

Katja and Isabella decide to have a child. However, like many lesbian couples they soon discover that this is much more difficult than they first imagined. Citing legal reasons, most of the sperm banks and fertility clinics refuse to treat them. Fortunately, they are able to find one doctor willing to help - for a large sum. After a while, Katja decides she wants to call a halt to their ‘project’ on account of the toll it is taking on their relationship, not to mention their beleaguered bank balance. But Isabella refuses to give up. She finds a dealer who sells them a kit allowing them to perform the insemination in the comfort of their own home. There are plenty of men on his website willing to sell their sperm for various sums and sometimes one or two additional conditions. And so they begin ‘casting’ for a potential donor – a process that drags on for several difficult weeks. This fictional story is part experiment and part salutary tale. Containing all manner of sensitive material such as research, statistics, facts, prognoses, dreams and realities, this exciting work charts the vibrant terrain between fiction and reality.

The German film Zwei Mütter was shown in the United States as Two Mothers (2013). It was written and directed by Anne Zohra Berrached.

The movie stars Karina Plachetka as Isabella Bürgelin and Sabine Wolf as Katja Maria Maisch. Isabella and Katia are a loving lesbian couple who want to conceive a baby. Artificial insemination is a standard practice in Germany, but not for same-sex couples.

The pair meet numerous obstacles–both legal and financial–in the Catch-22 world of German medical politics. They also meet some potential sperm donors, who all say they are motivated by altruism. However, altruism is obviously pretty far down the list for most of these men.

Not being able to conceive a child is a problem in itself. But it's also a dividing force that acts to separate the two women. For example, they were seemingly happy with one partner being the main provider, and the other just doing casual work. However, that becomes an issue when financial stability enters the picture. The film has an interesting, albeit somewhat unsettling, ending, when several of these strands come together.

Zwei Mütter is a movie worth finding and viewing. We saw it at the Little Theatre as part of Image Out, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival. It will work very well on the small screen.