An associate clinical professor in the College of Nursing at Brigham Young University has won first place in an international film festival.
Sandra Mangum combined her talents in media production and nursing to write, shoot and edit the film "Miracle of Birth." She received help from a professional team headed by John Clemons in the BYU media production studio.Mangum won the First Place Gold Award in the Parenting Category of the John Muir Eighth Biennial Film Festival. The theme of the festival was "Into the Heart of Wisdom."
She accepted the award at an Emmy-like formal dinner and awards ceremony Oct. 6 in Walnut Creek, Calif. Nancy Snyderman of Good Morning America presented the award.
With more than 500 entries, Mangum was among winners from Australia, Japan, France, Germany and the United States.
BYU's College of Nursing was one of the few schools to produce a film for the festival. All others were from broadcast corporations, film companies or television stations.
Along with the theme "Into the Heart of Wisdom," judges were looking for films that combined technical knowledge and human compassion.
Mangum's film portrayed three couples getting ready to have a baby. She followed them to their doctor visits and Lamaze classes, even into the delivery room.
The first woman had a delivery in a birthing room, the second a Caesarean section and the third a natural childbirth in a delivery room.
Mangum said, "The film shows joy in childbearing as well as the techniques." She mentioned that it also explains alternatives available to couples.
Mangum has two bachelor's degrees from BYU - one in nursing, the other in French and music. She received her master's degree at the University of Washington.