GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — People who are pregnant, or just thinking about conceiving, may want to attend a film festival in Grand Junction Nov. 12, sponsored by BirthSmart, a Grand Valley nonprofit dedicated to empowered birth through education.

Giving birth is the topic of all eight films. The final feature film of the day, “Laboring Under an Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs. The Real Thing: Discover how the mass media is shaping the expectation of birth,” contains humorous clips from television sitcoms.

“It's interesting to see the juxtaposition between Hollywood births and what actually happens in the hospital,” BirthSmart founder and executive director Leah Pabst said.

While television sitcom birth scenes might be funny, “they're not useful information about what happens in real life,” Pabst said.

Several childbirth professionals will be present to answer questions and join in discussions following each film. Guests will include childbirth educators, doulas, and licensed homebirth midwife Brenda Ramler.

The films are respectful of every birth philosophy, Pabst said.

The movies will be shown at The Parenting Place of Western Colorado, 1505 Chipeta Ave., starting at 10 :15 a.m. Tickets are available online at www.BirthSmart.org, or at Colorado Baby, 203 Grand Ave.

GO&DO What: BirthSmart FilmFest 2011 When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., Nov. 12 Where: The Parenting Place, 1505 Chipeta Ave. Cost: $10/person, or $16/pregnant couple Info: www.BirthSmart.org

FILM SCHEDULE

10:15 a.m. - “The Timeless Way” is about the history of birth across cultures, including “amazing” birth art.

10:45 a.m. - “Delivery Self-Attachment” covers the third stage of labor (after the baby is born) and the natural instinct for the baby to “breast crawl” and seek out the nipple for its first feeding.

11:10 a.m. - “Special Delivery” showcases a birth at home, in a birth center and in the hospital. The film includes information on choosing a care provider and achieving an empowered birth.

1 p.m. - “Once a Cesarean” covers VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), finding a care provider, the emotional journey and breech birth.

1:45 p.m. - “Stages of Labor” is a basic, step-by-step tutorial of the stages of labor.

2:25 p.m. - “The 1st Hour: A ‘homebirth' in the hospital”

2:50 p.m. - “Laboring Under an Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs. The Real Thing” is about how the mass media is shaping the expectation of birth.