The Forest Midwife

A documentary film, The Forest Midwife follows writer and social entrepreneur Catherine Cleary and her work over the last year to transform a piece of land in Roscommon into a forest and nature reserve. The documentary by filmmaker and photographer Beta Bajgart, was inspired by last year’s piece in the Irish Times magazine about the project. After Beta read the piece she approached Catherine, who she knows through the local neighbourhood in Dublin.

Filmaker Beta Bajgart said: "The story of the documentary centres on Catherine’s work on the farm in Roscommon, but it’s more than a documentary promoting planting trees. Ultimately, it is a story about a woman who listens to her midlife calling, and about a relationship between humans and trees. It touches on a sensitive topic of farming and land ownership in Ireland and honours the hardship of working the land."