SCREEN | Emilia Clarke Gives Birth to 'The Pod Generation'

Vertical Entertainment / Photon Films

French-American filmmaker Sophie Barthes travels into the near future for a science fiction romantic comedy starring Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor as prospective parents in The Pod Generation. As the title slightly hints, technology has developed where a woman no longer has to give birth as special egg-like pods can now hatch newborn babies.

While the film has some impressive production design on an indie film budget, there's a endearing lo-fi quality to the film as Clarke and Ejiofor portray a believably a quirky couple who are both relucatant at the prospect of an "unnatural" birth yet cautiously excited to become new parents. Topics of feminist progress and "having it all" careerism for women are fairly lightly touched upon as no longer having to be pregnant obviously has a positivel impact on female advancement in the workplaces in this futuristic world.

Everything about The Pod Generation feels a little light or insubstantial despite the talent and mostly capable storytelling seen on screen. Its satire of modern parenthood and the tech industry never totally gels or feels completely formed. There's so much unrealized or ripe material about having children that could have been further explored.

The Pod Generation is available to stream on various digital platforms and through video on demand.


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