In the world of groundbreaking documentaries, a common key to success is unprecedented access. And rarely in life do you find a more intimate setting than a mother and her newborn baby in their own home. Babies is quite possibly the best example of intimate access in the history of documentary filmmaking. Directed by Thomas Balmès (based on an original idea by Alain Chabat), Babies is an amazing exploration of intimacy and growth without a word of narration. The decision to present a documentary this way (which at times resembles the human version of PBS Nature) proves to be the catalyst for enhancing the sense of closeness to the subjects. They are the only ones making any sound at all, along with their parents, siblings, pets, and the natural background.
The four subjects are followed from birth to their first steps in painstaking detail. The presentation of the beginning of life in a basic, yet extraordinary fashion was made possible by simple, expert camera work in natural lighting with basic, unassuming editing. The fact that the cinematography didn’t get in the way of the presentation offered an uninterrupted feeling of wonder as you are taken back and forth between four corners of the globe as easily as you would enter a different room. And in each room, a baby! Soon, you get the feeling you are part of each family, becoming familiar with their surroundings.
The four settings alone prove a fascinating journey. The film follows Ponijao in a village in Namibia, Bayar in rural Mongolia, Mari in Tokyo, and Hattie in San Francisco. The settings also give a mind-boggling glimpse into the cultural and technological differences around the world. Helping you feel comfortable through the bouncing across the globe, a familiar sight, the babies! You are seeing their new worlds through their eyes as they acquire a repertoire of movement; learning behavior in the first year of life. A simple, charming and melodic score weaves itself through the film and each child’s development.
Even if you are not a “baby person” (contrary to the movie poster’s insistence that “Everybody loves babies”), there is much to be gleaned from this study. After seeing Babies, I considered my own movements, and when and how I learned them. And, seeing the dedication and devotion of each baby’s parents, I thought of my own parents. Capturing a sense of wonder and innocence seldom seen in movies today, Babies will delight with only a few moments of repetitious tedium. A thoughtful “reality-style” keeps one’s interest, as an evenly paced glimpse at what’s happening in the “next room” makes for an interesting, funny, and inviting tour through these highly-impressionable early days.
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