Short film "Mel & Ruby" celebrates female friendship; will premiere on Film Shortage March 28th

The new short film "Mel & Ruby" will have it's online premiere on Film Shortage on Sunday, March 28th. "Mel & Ruby" was written by and stars Julia Manis in a title role. It was directed by Oran Zegman and co-stars Skylar Schock.

The film is a love story of sorts between two friends: Moments before her abortion, a grieving woman seeks the support of her best friend who secretly has her own agenda.

Says Manis, "I noticed that shame exists in conversations about reproductive care. Pro-life lawmakers use a shaming rhetoric in their pursuit to enact abortion bans and close walk-in clinics. Many communities rely on these clinics for access to safe, affordable, and quality health and reproductive care. Because of the bans and closures, maternal mortality has skyrocketed and people are denied access to safe abortions and basic health care. 

I wanted to make a film that examined the nature of shame in relationships and abortion. Ultimately, I wanted to show the complex nuances of shame while also providing a solution for it. If we could just open our hearts to each other and let go of shame and judgment, then we can move towards more supportive relationships and health care systems."

"Mel & Ruby" will be available to stream on FilmShortage.com.