That Mothers Might Live

*That Mothers Might Live* is a 1938 American short drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann. The film tells the story of Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis and his discovery of the importance of cleanliness in 19th-century maternity wards, which significantly reduced maternal mortality. The film also depicts Semmelweis's struggle to gain acceptance for his ideas during his lifetime. Although his work was not widely recognized in his time, later scientists such as microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who helped develop the germ theory of disease, and British surgeon Dr. Joseph Lister, who applied Pasteur's research in medical practice, advanced Semmelweis's findings. In 1939, the film won an Academy Award for Best Short Subject (One-Reel) at the 11th Academy Awards.