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The Surrogate

Jeremy Hersh, USA 2020, 93’
Saint Frances Down with the King

What makes a family a family? Can you take responsibility for someone else’s happiness, especially when a perfect plan falls apart? A Brooklyn-based web designer named Jess Harris (in a fantastic performance by Jasmine Batchelor, making her big-screen debut) decides to become a surrogate for her best friend, Josh, and his husband, Aaron. The relationship between the protagonists begins to deteriorate dramatically, however, when prenatal tests indicate that the baby is going to have Down syndrome. The director Jeremy Hersh wanted to look not only at reactions and decisions taken at a time of crisis, however, but also to break the dominant patterns in cinema concerning the LGBTQ+ community.  It came from wanting to explore the archetypal relationship between a straight woman and a gay man. Growing up that was the only kind of queer representation I would see. Will & Grace Sex & the City  ... It’s often portrayed in this unrealistically positive way. I know a lot of people are interested in positive queer representation. I’m much more interested in ... something that shows [a] dimension [that is] present in any real relationship, says Hersh.

Jakub Demiańczuk (katalog 11. AFF)

awards

  • Milan International Lesbian and Gay FF 2021 - Best Film
  • AFF 2020 - Audience Award
Screenings
Su 10 Nov, 12:45knh 5
Ticket price : 25 PLN
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Jeremy Hersh

Jeremy Hersh, a director, screenwriter, producer, and playwright, lives and works in New York. He made his debut at the SXSW Festival with the short film  Natives; his next production,  Actresses, was shown at numerous festivals, including Sundance and New Orleans, where it won an Audience Award.  The Surrogate, his full-length debut, was partially financed by a campaign on the Kickstarter crowdfunding site.

Filmography

2013 Natives (short)

2015 Actresses (short)

2020 Surogatka / The Surrogate

Cast & Crew

director Jeremy Hersh
screenplay Jeremy Hersh
cinematography Mia Cioffi Henry
editing Cecilia Delgado
cast Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones, Eboni Booth
producer Jonathan Blitstein, Julie Christeas, Taylor Hess
production Tandem Pictures, Resonant Pictures
sales Visit Films
language English
coloration colour
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