Private Project

Holding It Together

Through intimate footage—from car seats to kitchens to weighing the prices of diapers and eggs—we glimpse the personal consequences of policy choices that have dismantled social infrastructure. While Andrea appears to be holding it all together—managing her business while caring for her daughter Eva Luna—that work also wears on Andrea, affecting her financial security and her emotional wellbeing. Inspired by the book "Holding it Together" by Jessica Calarco (who co-produced the short), this film is not just a portrait of individual resilience but a call to recognize how women's labor maintains the illusion that America can function without robust social support systems. By sharing these stories, we hope to spark conversations about the institutional changes our society desperately needs.

  • Si Boudoin
    Director
  • Si Boudoin
    Writer
    Switch Seats With Me
  • Cameron Kit
    Producer
    Prisms of Experience, Hear Me Now, Write Your Own Story
  • Andrea Pando
    Key Cast
  • Rosemary Maldonado
    Editor
    Write Your Own Story, Polyglot with a Passport
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 12 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Si Boudoin

Si Boudoin (they/them) is a multidisciplinary director, producer, and storyteller whose work bridges performance, advocacy, and filmmaking. With a foundation in theater direction and community-based storytelling, Si’s film work centers the lived experiences of underrepresented voices with clarity and care. Their documentary practice reflects a deep commitment to equity, first shaped through collaborative projects with The LGBT Center and The Wallace Foundation. As co-creator of the web series Switch Seats With Me, Si explored narrative filmmaking with themes of intimacy, humor, and identity, leading to screenings in NYC and Austin. Holding It Together is their second documentary, weaving together their passions for maternal care policy, social justice, and heartfelt storytelling.

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Director Statement

This film is a microscopic journey of the life of a woman, her family, and the delicate dance of the role of a primary caretaker. Taking my script from the book Holding It Together by Jessica Calarco, allowed me to dissect the idea of the "Supermom Myth", the idea that mothers in this country are expected to do it all. The subject of this film explores her first year of motherhood and the choice to leave corporate America to start her own business to provide for her family. While Andrea and many primary caretakers in this country manage to tackle these amazing feats of resilience, why is it the pressure and expectation to protect families solely on the mother and other caretakers in feminized roles? I wanted to explore the limited power of the individual and the deficit of social services that are provided for parents when raising our next generation. With a direct comparison of the cost of a child and the cost of running a cafe, it is my hope that audiences will feel called to action to advocate for the systemic protections of mothers and caretakers alike.