In Hawk Hill Pictures' Conceivable, releasing in select theaters on Oct. 16, it seems that Brielle Burns has everything going for her. At 45, she's a successful minister, a wife and mother to two nearly grown children; and she has big plans for her future.
But life takes an unexpected turn. A routine exam in the doctor's office revealed a life-changing reality she could not have guessed: pregnancy.
For Brielle and those around her, though, joy is far from the only reaction to this news.
The pregnancy is a shock, not just to Brielle (Jana Lee Hamblin), but to many of the people with whom she comes in contact. Only her husband (Eddie McClintock) is firm in his support for welcoming the baby, warning that if she choses to terminate the pregnancy, their marriage might not last.
Her friend Terri (Mary Boutte) is also pro-life, trusting in Scripture to explain God's plan. But again and again, friends and business associates console her, reminding her that she has a choice — that abortion is a convenient legal option.
Her doctor (Dean Cain) shrugs and offers to support her in whatever she chose. Even her pastor suggests that she consider abortion.
“I guess the good news,” he says, “is that we live in an age where you do have a choice.”
Brielle's story, as recounted by the film's writer/director, the Rev. Beth Caulfield, is based on Caulfield's own experience.
Beth Caulfield had enjoyed a successful career in business, then served in full-time ministry, when she found herself pregnant. Like the character Brielle in the film, Beth was ambivalent before finally deciding to let the pregnancy progress to its natural conclusion, and to welcome a new baby into her family.
Caulfield talked recently with Family Theater Productions about her expectation that the film will touch hearts and get people talking.
She hopes that theaters would fill with people of varying viewpoints — not just committed pro-lifers who agree with the premise of the film, but also those on the fence, and those who are strong in their defense of abortion.
She hopes to validate the perspective of all, but then to lead abortion supporters to reflect on the personal consequences of pregnancy, and to reconsider their view.
The pregnant woman, Caulfield says, might worry, “You're not supposed to feel like this! It's supposed to be wonderful!”
Caulfield remembered comments from friends during her own pregnancy which lacked compassion, comments that fortified her fear and resistance, such as, “Oh my gosh, you're pregnant?! Better you than me!”
Considering the Rev. Dr. Glenn (Daniel Roebuck), the pastor who failed to defend life by not encouraging Brielle to continue her pregnancy, Caulfield reflects, “Often pastors are afraid of the subject [of abortion]; they don't know how to approach it.
"The church is divided on the issue, and pastors find themselves looking at people with different views, and they often feel ill equipped to deal with that. Often, they feel that the loving thing to do is to support their flock in whatever feels more compassionate.”
Beth Caulfield's personal experience was as a pastor in the United Methodist Church. Are Catholic leaders as ambivalent as the advisors Brielle encountered in her own denomination?
For Catholic priests, the options seem less open. One expects that the advice offered by a Catholic priest would be strongly in support of life, as the Church teaches.
In fact, in Conceivable, the Catholic Church had an impact in Brielle's decision to continue the pregnancy and to welcome the child God had entrusted to her.
Fleeing to France to further consider her options, Brielle experiences the presence of God in the beautiful Chartres Cathedral and while walking along the labyrinth in Chartres. Finally, she is able to reach peace with the changes that a new child will bring to her life.
Conceivable is both warm and convincing, and is already inspiring some to grow in their respect for God's plan. The film opens in theaters nationwide on October 16.
On November 10, Beth Caulfield's new book Behind the Scenes of Conceivable: The Ministry in the Movie will be released, offering an honest and compelling look at the creative, spiritual, and human journey behind the camera.
At the heart of this commemorative volume is the complete Director's Cut of the screenplay, presented alongside a guided chapter that teaches readers how to read a screenplay and understand the storytelling and production choices behind it.
From early drafts to final edits, from casting and filming across multiple states and countries to navigating post-production, the book reveals how a film is shaped not only by cameras and scripts, but by conviction, collaboration, and courage.
Click here for more information on the film and theater locations.
Parents should be aware that the film is rated PG-13, for thematic elements and some sexual reference.
Image: Hawk Hill Pictures
Kathy Schiffer writes regularly for the National Catholic Register and Catholic World Report, and for other Catholic publications, including Evangelization and Culture, Crisis Magazine, Aleteia, Zenit, the Michigan Catholic, and Legatus Magazine. She’s worked for Catholic and other Christian ministries since 1988, as radio producer, director of special events, and media-relations coordinator.
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