Minister Wrestles With What it Means to Be Pro-Life in New Movie
Art imitates life, literally, for writer Beth Caulfield.
Her movie CONCEIVABLE loosely follows her late-in-life pregnancy experience and the questions she grappled with that challenged her beliefs of what it truly means to be pro-life.
“The movie came from a place of vulnerability, as I had to share the details,” Caulfield tells Movieguide®. “My hope was to tell a story that could help people come in and see themselvesand think about where they might be in the story as well.”
CONCEIVABLE centers on Brielle Burns, a 45-year-old mother of teenagers who thinks she’s finally hit her stride in life. At a doctor’s appointment, however, Burns discovers the ultimate surprise: She’s pregnant. Burns is forced to reconsider her perspective on unexpected pregnancies as she gains a deeper empathy for women who find themselves in similar circumstances. CONCEIVABLE stars Jana Lee Hamblin and Dean Cain.
Caulfield chronicles this wrestling in her movie to show viewers that even people of dedicated faith can be presented with situations that can shake their belief systems.
“We live in a fallen world with complexity, and we if we can capture that in our stories and allowpeople the opportunity to talk about that, I think that it opens up to a richer ministryexperience, better discipleship,” Caulfield says. “It gives us the credibility that we’re we’rebeing real and authentic. I went into this knowing that my call was to to go into onto thisplatform — or as I feel, a pulpit — in filmmaking, to go and share an authentic story with all thewarts and be honest about human experience, honest about faith experience.”
For Caulfield, that inner wrestling came as she faced her preconceived notions about women who sought out abortions. Initially, she believed that women who wanted to terminate their pregnancies were unmarried women who lived promiscuous lifestyles. But when Caulfield, as a married mother, received the news of her pregnancy, she initially questioned if she wanted the baby. These questions forced her into a deeper empathy for women who are faced with a reality they hadn’t planned for and spurred her into action both through volunteer service at pregnancy centers and by broadcasting her story at large on the big screen with CONCEIVABLE.
According to the Movieguide® review, CONCEIVABLE “is a meaningful story at its heart. Its premise will resonate with many Christian families who have faced unexpected life changes. Scripture and faith take center stage as Brielle struggles with an unexpected pregnancy, forcing her to confront the tension between her plans and God’s will and learn what it truly means to trust Him.
“It’s beautifully filmed, with strong visual storytelling, clear dialogue, and genuine conversations about fear, disappointment, faith, and God’s will. The story also delivers a touching payoff at the end,” the review continues. “… For viewers who want a story of faith about trust in God when life veers off course, this movie offers plenty to love. Its heartfelt message shines through despite the room for growth in a promising story.”
CONCEIVABLE releases Oct. 16.
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