The film exposes commercial surrogacy’s hidden side: profit-driven practices, exploitation of vulnerable women, health risks, and shady agents. We advocate education and global regulation to protect women and spark urgent debate.
© Filmstill 9 Month Contract
Family
Feminism
9 Month Contract
Ketevan Vashagashvili / Georgia, Bulgaria, Germany / 2025 / 79 min
Nine months of pregnancy for $14,000. For Zhana, this is the only way to give her daughter a better life. In Tbilisi’s unregulated surrogacy market, Zhana rents out her body to survive, hiding the truth from her growing child. As her health deteriorates, she spirals deeper into a cycle of exploitation. Shot over several years, this intimate, fearless film captures a mother’s boundless love in a system willing to consume it.
Credits
| Year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Production Countries | Georgia, Bulgaria, Germany |
| Runtime | 79 min |
| Language | Georgian |
| Subtitle | English |
| Director | Ketevan Vashagashvili |
|---|---|
| Producers | Martichka Bozhilova, Sylvia Nagel |
IMPACT STATEMENT
IMPACT GOALS
- Supporting surrogate mothers and young women in Georgia through education, protection,and advocacy
- Raising international awareness that the growing surrogacy "business" is unregulated
- Activities aimed at protecting infants (as some practices related to placement and sale are highly questionable)
- Educating the general public, medical professionals, and potential parents
- Addressing issues of human trafficking, modern forms of slavery, and reproductive rights
Nine months of pregnancy for $14,000. Trapped in an endless cycle of pregnancies, Zhana rents out her body, driven by her fear of poverty and her desire to secure her daughter’s future. This film tells a story of maternal love in a system that profits from desperation.
