9-Month Contract

Surrogacy is a huge issue in Georgia, and due to unrestrictive legislation it is one of the world’s primary international hubs for reproductive technology.
9-Month Contract focuses on the personal story of Zhana, a single formerly homeless mother in Tbilisi. To provide a better life and education for her teenage daughter, Zhana resorts to working as an unregulated surrogate mother for foreign couples. The documentary intimately captures her dangerous physical sacrifices, hidden pregnancies, and the profound, unconditional love she holds for her child. The film’s great strength lies in the intimate portrayal of the relationship between mother and daughter throughout the film.

Ketevan Vashagashvili won the Human Rights Award in the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, for her debut feature documentary.