Surrogacy is a tricky situation, even when prospective parents go through the official channels, with contracts and classes and everything else that goes into making this life-altering decision. But the issues become magnified when people work with their friends to become the surrogate, as seen in the new drama from director Jeremy Hersh.
In “The Surrogate,” two men hire their friend Jess to be the egg donor and carry a baby for them. Everything seems great, at first, until they go to visit the doctor and find out that the unborn child will have special needs. This revelation creates a situation where the two men question if they want to continue to have the baby or not, leaving Jess to wonder if maybe she should carry the child and keep it for herself.
READ MORE: ‘The Surrogate’ Explores the Moral Complexity of New Age Parenting [Review]
In our review from this year’s SXSW, we said, “…imperfections cannot steal away the ambitious underpinnings of Hersh’s intentions for “The Surrogate,” a down-to-earth analysis of the ever-precarious, self-serving human condition; an examination that speaks volumes despite its reserved demeanor.”
The new drama stars Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones, Brooke Bloom, Tonya Pinkins, Eboni Booth, Brandon Micheal Hall, Leon Lewis, and Tiffany Villarin. The film marks the directorial debut for Jeremy Hersh, who screened his previous shorts at festivals such as Sundance and SXSW.
“The Surrogate” will open in virtual cinemas on June 12.
Here’s the synopsis:
Jess Harris (Jasmine Batchelor, “The Good Fight”), a 29 year old web designer for a nonprofit in Brooklyn, is ecstatic to be the surrogate and egg-donor for her best friend Josh (Chris Perfetti, “Looking”) and his husband Aaron (Sullivan Jones, Slave Play). Twelve weeks into the pregnancy, a prenatal test comes back with unexpected results that pose a moral dilemma. As they all consider the best course of action, the relationship between the three friends is put to the test.
