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The Baby Formula

Athena and Lilith are two women in love who dream of having their own biological babies with no strings – or sperm – attached. Fortunately, they’re able to get in on an experimental scientific process that helps women produce sperm from their own stem cells (those Canadian scientists are way ahead of us). And voilà! Soon they’re expecting the pitter-patter of little feet. Athena is hugely pregnant and feeling sexier than ever, though when in thrall to her mood swings she’s terrified the baby might be deformed. Jealous of her partner’s maternal bliss, Lilith sneaks off to the lab behind her back to get her own stem cells processed. With Lilith now pregnant too, Athena feels deceived and their harmonious household is turned upside down by hormone-fueled spats. The women’s nerves are wracked even further by the intergenerational family meeting they’ve called to explain their lack of reproductive partners. Though Lilith’s two wine-soaked dads are pretty cool with the news, Athena’s homophobic, religious mom has a hard time believing that their dual conceptions were, in fact, immaculate. Told in a hilarious mockumentary style by stuntwoman-turned-director Alison Reid, THE BABY FORMULA is anything but formulaic. – B.B.