Julianne Curtis, producer, and Ben Hess, director produced the short film – be still. The film has been met with critical acclaim, winning awards at many film festivals including at the Horsetooth International Film Festival and Wyoming International Film Festival. The film was recently released to the public in honor of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month.
be still gives viewers insight into something that is often left undiscussed – child and pregnancy loss. Caroline learns in her third trimester that her baby has died in utero. What follows is a look at the grief and experiences a bereaved expecting parent faces in a world where this pain is misunderstood. Caroline and her partner begin a path of healing; allowing the support and resources around them to help be their guide.
“As a bereavement doula, I have seen far too many parents walk this lonely path of grief without support from family, friends, and even their medical providers,” Julianne Curtis says. “Our goal with this film has always been to shine a light on this hidden tragedy to help educate society on how to walk beside someone grieving.”
The film is 12-minutes long and follows bereaved parents through their journey. The film has been submitted to film festivals in the Western US, winning in many categories. Awards include Best Actress: Tabitha Tyree, Best Original Song: Alysia Kraft, and Indie Short Fest; Runner-Up / Best Short.
be still is produced by Julianne Curtis, a local doula who provided the inspiration for the film, as well as creative direction, and Ben Hess, owner, and producer of Slyfox Cinematic.
“Art has always been used to move the needle on cultural topics,” Ben Hess said. “And that’s what we’ve aimed to do with be still. We want to give people a springboard to start these important conversations. We also want to show families that have experienced a loss that they’re not alone.”
To date, the film has been used for educational purposes for preliminary birthing professionals and medical providers to detail how profoundly parents feel about this kind of loss. The film has now been released to the public and can be found at www.bestillshortfilm.com.
“Since the film has been released, I have had so many meaningful conversations with both providers and families of loss. It’s opened so many doors and I think we’re doing what we intended to do – shine a light on this difficult subject,” Julianne Curtis said.
October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, a month designed to raise awareness about baby loss and increase support for families who have experienced loss. This film is one of the ways Julianne Curtis has opened the door for conversation and understanding of this difficult subject.