World Premiere: Sundance Film Festival

AWARDS

Sundance Film Festival: U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: Impact for Change

Full Frame Film Festival: Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights

Following the preventable deaths of their loved ones due to childbirth complications, two families galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises of our time – the US maternal health crisis.

 

About the Film

In October 2019, 30-year-old Shamony Gibson tragically died 13 days following the birth of her son. Two months later, we began filming Shamony's surviving mother, Shawnee Benton Gibson, and bereaved partner, Omari Maynard, as they began to process what happened and figure out their new normal.

In April 2020, 26-year-old Amber Rose Isaac, died due to an emergency c-section. Within weeks of Amber's death, Omari reaches out to Amber's surviving partner Bruce McIntyre and a lifelong bond is formed. Together, Omari and Bruce begin the fight for justice for their partners with their families and community by their side, while caring for their children as newly single parents.

Through the film, we witness these two families become ardent activists in the maternal health space, seeking justice through legislation, medical accountability, community, and the power of art. Their work introduces us to a myriad of people including a growing brotherhood of surviving Black fathers, along with the work of midwives and physicians on the ground fighting for institutional reform. Through their collective journeys, we find ourselves on the front lines of the growing birth justice movement that is demanding systemic change within our medical system and government.

 

2022 Sundance

Aftershock premiered as part of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Documentary Competition. Details here.

 
 
 

Filmmakers

 

PAULA EISELT

Paula Eiselt is an award-winning independent feature-film filmmaker, producer, and activist known for her journalistic rigor in telling timely and intelligent cinematic stories led by  strong-willed characters. She has dedicated her filmmaking career to shining a light on trailblazers and everyday heroes from all walks of life and is most notably known for her two award-winning documentary features, 93QUEEN (POV/HBOMax) and most recently, AFTERSHOCK (Hulu/Disney+). 

 AFTERSHOCK, which spotlights the long-lasting effects of the US maternal health crisis, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Doc Competition, and was awarded the Special Jury Award: Impact for Change. AFTERSHOCK was acquired out of Sundance by Disney’s Onyx Collective and ABC News Studios and released on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ worldwide on July 19.

 IndieWire named Paula one of 22 Rising Filmmakers to Watch in 2022. In 2019, she was named one of Jewish Week's “36 Under 36.” Paula is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and serves on the board of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and their 4 children.

 

TONYA LEWIS LEE

Tonya Lewis Lee is a director, producer, writer whose work often explores the personal impact of social justice issues such as civil rights and criminal justice. Tonya Lewis Lee is a director, producer, writer whose work often explores the personal impact of social justice issues. As a television producer, Tonya served as Executive Producer on the episodic series SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT which is currently streaming on Netflix. As a film producer, Lee produced MONSTER which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is now available on Netflix. Most recently Lee co-directed and co-produced AFTERSHOCK which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, which examines the U.S. maternal mortality crisis winning the Special Jury Award for Impact for Change and was acquired by Onyx and ABC News to stream on Hulu. IndieWire named Tonya as one of 22 rising female filmmakers to watch in 2022.

 

 
 

Directed and Produced by:
Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee

Edited by:
Flavia de Souza
Sunita Prasad

Cinematography by:
Jenni Morello
Kerwin Devonish
Michael Crommett

Music by:
Chanda Dancy

Story Producer
Lucas Guilkey

Line Producer
Kate Lewin Hilgenberg

Post-Producer
Jeremy Zerechak

Executive Producers
Dawn Porter
Jenny Raskin
Geralyn White Dreyfous
Davis Guggenheim
Rahdi Taylor
Tegan Acton
Emma Pompetti
Janet Tittiger
Patty Quillin
Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros

Co-Executive Producers
Lauren Haber
Kelsey Koenig
Nina and David Fialkow
Barbara and Eric Dobkin
Donna and Kevin Gruneich
Bill and Eva Price

 

Take Action

 

HOST A SCREENING

Aftershock is currently streaming on Hulu. If you are interested in hosting a screening or watching as a group, check out our host toolkit. And follow Aftershock on social media (@aftershockdoc) to learn about future screenings, activations, and opportunities.

Already watched the film? Share your thoughts by posting and using the hashtag #AftershockDoc.

See our screening event kit. 

Already watched the film and want to share your thoughts? Take our survey!

CALLS TO ACTION

ACT:

  • To address the maternal health crisis in America, Congressional leaders have been fighting for critically important policies. Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Congresswoman Alma Adams, Senator Cory Booker, and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 (H.R. 959/S. 346). The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act builds on existing legislation to comprehensively address every dimension of the maternal health crisis.

Get involved: If you are looking to take action on this urgent issue, you can get involved by:

  • Reaching out to your Members of Congress in the House of Representatives and the Senate to make your voice heard about why this issue matters to you. You can look up your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives here and you can find information about your Senators here. 

  • Spreading the word on social media: sample posts can be found here.

  • Joining the efforts of community-based organizations that are leading critical initiatives where you live.

  • Staying informed about Momnibus updates by following the Black Maternal Health Caucus on Twitter.

HELP: 

  • Help support the Bronx birthing center shown in the film, The Birthing Place through a donation.

LEARN & SHARE:

  • Are you a Black or Brown birthing parent? Download the Irth app and share your prenatal, birthing, postpartum or pediatric experience to help others. If you are expecting or a new parent you can also find reviews of care from other Black and Brown parents. Search reviews for yourself, and leave reviews to help others.

To honor the life of Shamony Gibson and support transformative maternal health activism in her memory, please contribute to the ARIAH Foundation.

To honor the life of Amber Rose Issac and support transformative maternal health activism in her memory, please contribute to the Save a Rose Foundation.