Ladies in Waiting (2009)

Ladies in Waiting (2009) poster

Taking in the wives of the unemployed, of unpaid government employees, the Kitambo maternity clinic in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo has to cope with its patients' lack of money. And negotiations are tough between the administration and the women. As long as the bill remains unsettled they are kept at the clinic, which only increases the cost of their stay. And here everything has a price, even a birth certificate. The women's protests against their poor accommodations or their claims that their husbands' pay is overdue can change nothing. The female administrator won't budge an inch. If you've no money, you stay put. "Hold me hostage instead of my wife," offers one man. A long suffering manager, herself at the mercy of the system, must negotiate collateral with them: a celebration dress, a pair of earrings, a suitcase, so they will return and pay in full.

Director: Dieudo Hamadi, Divita Wa Lusala
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 24 min
Release Date:
Country: Congo
Original Language: fr
More Films by Director: Dieudo Hamadi, Divita Wa Lusala
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ladies in Waiting about?
Taking in the wives of the unemployed, of unpaid government employees, the Kitambo maternity clinic in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo has to cope with its patients' lack of money. And negotiations are tough between the administration and the women. As long as the bill remains unsettled they are kept at the clinic, which only increases the cost of their stay. And here everything has a price, even a birth certificate. The women's protests against their poor accommodations or their claims that their husbands' pay is overdue can change nothing. The female administrator won't budge an inch. If you've no money, you stay put. "Hold me hostage instead of my wife," offers one man. A long suffering manager, herself at the mercy of the system, must negotiate collateral with them: a celebration dress, a pair of earrings, a suitcase, so they will return and pay in full.
Who directed Ladies in Waiting?
Ladies in Waiting was directed by Dieudo Hamadi, Divita Wa Lusala.
How long is Ladies in Waiting?
Ladies in Waiting has a runtime of 24m (24 minutes).
What genre is Ladies in Waiting?
Ladies in Waiting is a Documentary film.
Where was Ladies in Waiting produced?
Ladies in Waiting was produced in Congo.