HEARTWORM

1. Please share the title of your film and a brief synopsis.
What is your project about, and what can audiences expect?

In a near future where virtual reality has become a refuge for the grieving, Heartworm follows Avena, a bereaved mother struggling to pull her family back from the edge of disappearance. Her husband Mark has retreated into NeuraLife, a fully immersive AI world that promises comfort, continuity, and escape from unbearable loss. As Avena searches for a way to reconnect with him, she’s drawn into a disorienting journey through memory, technology, and longing. Featuring a striking breakout performance by Broadway star Amber Gray, Heartworm asks a haunting question for our time: when comfort is infinite, what becomes of being human?

2. What inspired this film?

Tell us how the idea originated and what motivated you to bring it to life.

Our inspiration came from two places… Firstly, as we were observing the world around us, we became aware of how much

tech had been encroaching on people’s daily lives. It seemed to be changing the way people were interacting with one

another, and morphing our sense of human to human connection. Around this time, we experienced a miscarriage, and in our grief, we suddenly found ourselves isolated from our community of friends and collaborators. We were in desperate need of human to human contact, but we found it difficult to come by. This is what really launched our idea for Heartworm. We began thinking about all the ways people are driven apart by technology, and exploring the idea of what might happen in a world where everyone is “tapped out” of Reality and living in a self-curated version of the world. How would people behave in that future? And as it relates to Avena and Mark, our main characters, how would a couple survive the unimaginable in a world where human to human connection was no longer the norm?

3. What central themes or messages do you explore in the film?
Is there something specific you hope viewers take away?

Heartworm is a cautionary tale, encouraging the viewer to imagine a future in which technology is suddenly capable of replacing the core tenants of our human experience. (A future that seems to be fast approaching.) In the world of the film, NeuraLife, an immersive AI platform, has been adopted as the primary place of human interaction and experience. It offers an escape from Reality and a cure-all for human ailments as far reaching as grief. The only catch is that these“fixes” actually complicate our ability to be human, stymying the processes that bring us together and fracturing our collective sense of being. Heartworm questions whether we as people should be complicit in this evolution, or if it’s time to begin reclaiming the things that make us human.

4. What sets your film apart?
In terms of style, subject, or storytelling — what makes it unique?

What sets Heartworm apart is the authenticity of the world it presents. From the richly texturedcinematography to the deeply felt performances, audiences are walking away engrossed in the film’s story, characters, and ideas. Heartworm is a conversation jump starter and a film that sticks with you long after watching.

5. Can you tell us a bit about your background as a filmmaker?
How did you get into filmmaking, and what draws you to this medium?

Miriam and Mitchell Arens are the award-winning filmmakers behind Heartworm. They met while getting their MFA’s from

NYU’s Tisch Asia in Singapore. There they crewed on movies in a variety of positions from writer/director to cinematographer

to sound mixer, traveling everywhere from the caves of Dongzhong, China to the low-land rainforest of Borneo. Their 
focus on innovative production techniques has allowed them to make movies with almost no budget or traditional equipment all over the globe. Their work has premiered at festivals including Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, TIFF, IDFA, Doc NYC and Berlinale. Heartworm is their feature film co-directorial debut.

6. What was the most challenging part of the filmmaking process — and the most rewarding?

The most challenging part of the filmmaking process always seems to be ensuring we have enough balance in our lives. Between taking care of our children and following an impassionedpath into filmmaking, we are always striving to create that balance. It’s our lifelong mission anda continual work in progress. What’s been so rewarding about Heartworm is experiencing the film with audiences and connecting with viewers in the deeply human ways the film encourages. Filmmaking is so amazing in that it brings us together when we make it, and together when we watch it. To us there is nothing more rewarding than feeling and experiencing that process.

7. How did the casting process unfold?
Were there any standout performances or casting moments that made a lasting impact?

Our wonderful casting director and co-producer, Nancy Foy, played a huge roll in putting this amazing cast together. We consider performance the most potent special effect in our otherwise modest budget, so we worked hard to cast in an authentic way and took our time putting together the lead family. Amber Gray is the soul and beating heart of Heartworm,

and we feel so fortunate to have worked with her. Miriam and Amber attended Boston University together, so when we 
began casting Heartworm, her name came up right away as the potential lead. She’s a mother herself, and she brought so

much complexity to the roll. The way she mixes strength with restrained vulnerability is pure magic. The results speak for themselves, but we’re so proud of the work everyone did, and the passion and imaginative powers they brought to set every day. Kudos to Juan Riedinger, Lillias White, Ellie Reine, Derrick Baskin, Audrey Moore, and everyone else who made these characters come alive.

8. Who were some of your key collaborators behind the scenes?
We’d love to know about your team and the dynamic on set.

A film takes a village to raise, and Heartworm was no different. We have so many key collaborators and lifelong friends who helped bring the vision to life. Because Heartworm is a co-directing effort, the key collaboration starts in our household with the two of us passionately hashing out the story. When put together, our imaginations coalesce into a sort of third consciousness, and that mindset begins to dictate the direction of the film. Next up, the effort and collaboration with the lead actors is paramount for us. We really strive to create a nurturing environment that leaves ample time for everyone to make discoveries. The goal is to eliminate the ticking clock feeling that can be so pervasive on film sets. Filmmaking is truly a labor

of love, so we try to fill it with heart and soul and work hard to immerse the cast and crew in that environment.

9. Does your film have any Iowa or Midwest connections?
Were any cast, crew, locations, or inspirations tied to the region?

Mitchell Arens (the co-writer and co-director) is from Minnesota, so JDIFF is a great opportunity to screen the film closer to home and for an audience who originates from the same sensibilities and cultural influences.

10. Why was JDIFF the right festival for your film’s debut or screening?
What made you choose the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival?

JDIFF is such a champion of quality independent film, and beyond that, independent film that strives to say something. In that sense, it was a perfect fit for Heartworm, which delivers a meaningful sci-fi story with big emotions on a tight budget.

11. What does it mean to you to be part of the JDIFF lineup?
We are so honored to be included in this year’s JDIFF lineup. Getting the film in front of an audience can be so difficult, so to have Heartworm supported and promoted in this way means the world to us. We absolutely cannot wait to share it with the people of Dubuque and our fellow filmmakers at the festival.

12. How do you hope audiences will respond to your film at JDIFF?
Is there a particular reaction or conversation you’re hoping to spark?

Heartworm is really driving at the fundamental question of what it means to be human in the modern age. As filmmakers, we want to prop up what’s so unique about humanity and inspire the audience to see and value those strengths. Avena goes on this herculean journey through grief, going toe to with big tech, and it’s important for us to see ourselves in her, and to reconnect with that inner strength of our own human spirit, knowing that no machine, however sophisticated, could ever replicate it.

13. Please share where our audience can follow the film on social media.
Check out heartwormthefilm.com for press, updates, and screening times. You can follow the 
filmmakers at normandiefilms.com.

​

Heartworm EPK