S P A R E S
SECOND CHANCE STORIES OF FROZEN EMBRYOS
SECOND CHANCE STORIES OF FROZEN EMBRYOS
S P A R E S
About the Documentary
In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become increasingly common in the U.S., with 2% of births now resulting from this process. However, IVF often leads to unused frozen embryos, known as "spares." These spares, numbering over 1.6 million in the U.S. alone, can be adopted by other families in a process called "snowflake adoption." This practice has grown significantly in recent years, with a 420% increase over 7 years and a 29% surge in 2023 alone.
The documentary presents several personal stories of families involved in embryo adoption. Some couples, like Caleb and Paige, turned to embryo adoption after having a child with genetic complications. Others, like Sam and Gabbi, chose this path due to fertility issues. The document also shares the perspective of couples who donated their unused embryos, such as Travis and Tara, who wanted to give their remaining embryos a chance at life.
Embryo adoption raises complex ethical and emotional questions. Many families view the embryos as lives beginning at conception, leading to difficult decisions about their fate. The process also involves navigating relationships between donor and recipient families, which can range from closed adoptions to close bonds. Despite its challenges, embryo adoption is presented as a "life-affirming solution" to the issue of unused IVF embryos, offering hope to couples struggling with infertility while addressing concerns about embryo destruction.
Spares: Second Chance Stories of Frozen Embryos
1.6 million fertilized embryos, leftover from couples undergoing IVF, currently sit frozen in facilities. “Spares” tells the personal story of four couples that chose to adopt or put their fertilized embryos up for adoption, taking viewers on a riveting journey through ethical, scientific, and legal landscapes of this new and bizarre technology.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alexandra Phelps
Pinkston
703-966-0831
Spares: Second Chance Stories of Frozen Embryos Premieres
Four couples wrestle with the dilemmas of embryonic adoption
Washington, D.C. [ NOV 6, 2024 ] Palladium Pictures today announced the release of Spares: Second Chance Stories of Frozen Embryos. 1.6 million fertilized embryos currently sit frozen in facilities. These embryos are the products of in vitro fertilization (IVF), which couples decided not to implant. Spares follows the personal journeys of four couples adopting a few of those embryos or putting theirs up for adoption.
Spares was produced with Palladium Pictures’ Incubator Program, by Jason Pearson, a Southern California-based filmmaker and owner of a new AI film studio, FiveHive.
“I wanted to highlight the emotional and ethical considerations couples face when they adopt frozen embryos,” said Jason Pearson. “Embryonic adoption is often a missing component in conversations surrounding IVF. For me, the subject is personal. My wife and I had to decide what to do with our own frozen embryos.”
“Through the moving stories of the couples in Spares, Jason has cast light on an important issue,” said Thomas Pack, the Incubator Director. “Jason’s deep empathy for these couples shows through in this powerful film.”
Palladium Pictures Incubator Program helps emerging filmmakers produce short documentaries about untold stories and underrepresented perspectives. Each participant receives funding, mentorship and assistance in distribution and marketing of these short documentary films.
To watch “Spares: Second Chance Stories of Frozen Embryos,” or to learn more about the Palladium Pictures Incubator Program, visit www.palladiumpictures.com.
About Palladium Pictures:
Palladium Pictures, LLC is an independent film company, launched in 2023 by the principals of Manifold Productions, Producer-Director Michael Pack and Executive Producer Gina Cappo Pack. Their most recent film, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, premiered in over 100 movie theaters and nationally on PBS. With a mission to “reclaim the culture through film,” Palladium Pictures is dedicated to telling stories in a straightforward, fact-based manner, stories that have been ignored or misreported. The three pillars of Palladium Pictures are long form documentaries, short docs, and an incubator program to train the next generation of fair-minded documentarians. Learn more about Palladium Pictures at www.palladiumpictures.com.
About FiveHive Studios:
FiveHive Studios, launched in 2024, combines advanced AI technology with traditional storytelling expertise to create innovative visual content, revolutionizing the way stories are told through animation and film.
Quotes from the documentary
"To even have this idea about eradicating a type of person because you don't view them as enough. Yeah. To me, is a form of evil or because it's inconvenient. Where do you draw the line on that?" - Paige, reflecting on the ethical implications of selective embryo destruction.
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"The more I researched it, the more I wanted to be a part of this new frontier of saving these little lives, these lives in these almost these frozen orphanages, just waiting for a chance." - Gabbi, on her decision to pursue embryo adoption.
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"Every embryo mattered to me, I still feel like I'm the father of those embryos. I still feel like I'm responsible for those and make the best decisions I can." - Travis, explaining his perspective on the embryos he and his wife had left after IVF.
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"It's just a magical feeling, getting to know that someone who was frozen for ten years is now here." - Tara, describing the experience of embryo adoption.
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"We did not just adopt the embryos. We adopted their whole family and extended family." - Ali, on the unexpected relationships formed through embryo adoption.
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"I think at that moment, it was a new spark of light and a new spark of hope that we could carry a baby and bring a baby into this world." - Ali, describing when someone first told her about embryo adoption
Filmmaker: Jason Pearson
Jason Pearson is an entrepreneur and creative storyteller. Pearson began his creative career in the music industry in New York City, developing albums with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Gil Scott-Heron, and many musicians you’ve never heard of. It was then that Jason then founded the first digital magazine, Blender, and Dennis Advertising Agency which was acquired by Maxim Magazine and Quadrangle Venture Partners. In 2000, Jason formed OnlineGiving/StarWire in Silicon Valley a technology start-up for nonprofits funded by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner-Perkins. In 2004, in Southern California, Jason founded Pearpod, working with Hollywood studios to develop key-art, marketing, and digital production services. Pearpod has been involved in 71 films including The Passion, Narnia, Rocky, The Shack, Unplanned, Nefarious, and The Shroud: Face-to-Face. In 2023, Pearson started FiveHive Studios to utilize artificial intelligence in the production of films and media. Pearson is an oil painter with collectors around the globe. New York Magazine named Jason one of its “60 Digital Visionaries.” Jason and his wife, Melinda, and their 5 kids from IVF including triplets live in a small California surfer town and hope to someday have a pet sea pig.
Downloadable still photos
