As a board member of Angel Names Association, a local non-profit organization that helps bereaved families, I would like to comment on "Return to Zero," an independent film coming out of Hollywood. This movie, starring well-known actors Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein, is the story of a couple's loss of their baby late in pregnancy. It is based on the true story of multi-award-winning director Sean Hanish, and his wife, who experienced the stillbirth of their son.
My husband and I are parents of a stillborn baby born Aug. 22, 2010. Members of Angel Names Association and the stillbirth community believe "Return to Zero" should reach theaters.
Although it is not often discussed, stillbirth is more common than one might realize; it is not the rare event we attribute to our grandmothers' era. Each year, an estimated 26,000 babies in the United States are stillborn, more than 1,700 of which are in New York. Families, friends, health care providers, coworkers are all affected by the loss. Hollywood must understand there is a vast audience for this film.
The Angel Names Association hopes that raising awareness through a movie like "Return to Zero" will stimulate research to help understand why stillbirth happens in otherwise healthy pregnancies. It also provides a window to the experience of pregnancy loss and infant death, leaving those who watch the film with a deeper understanding of the issue.
To help bring the movie to our area, visit www.angelnames.org and follow the links to "Return to Zero" to pledge to see the movie (no obligation).
Lisa M. Hunter
Mechanicville