The SoCal Premiere of Heartworm will be shown on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at 4:00 PM at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA
By Teri Kinne
Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/27/26 – “In the near future humans rely on a brain implant that connects them to NeuraLife.”
That single sentence overlay is all the audience is given before Heartworm quietly begins unfolding its world. Writers and directors Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens trust viewers to piece together what they are seeing instead of explaining the details. It asks for patience, attention, and a willingness to sit with uncertainty.
Stay with it. The payoff is worth it.
Two main characters, Avena (Amber Gray), a grieving mother trying to reconnect with her husband, Mark (Juan Riedinger), who may have retreated into NeuraLife, an immersive virtual world that offers an escape from unimaginable loss. As reality, memory, and virtual existence begin to overlap, the audience experiences that uncertainty alongside the characters.
Heartworm isn’t a film that rushes to reveal itself. It slowly builds its emotional and visual language until the final act, where everything the filmmakers have carefully assembled comes together in a conclusion that feels earned.
Amber Gray delivers a deeply grounded performance as Avena, balancing vulnerability with determination as she struggles to reach the man she loves and the child, she has then lost. Juan Riedinger provides an equally compelling counterbalance. The two actors complement one another beautifully. Their characters process grief in completely different ways, yet each performance depends on the other. Together they create a relationship that remains believable as the world around them becomes increasingly surreal.
The film’s technical craftsmanship deserves equal recognition. The sound design is exceptional. Before one word of dialog is spoken, the soundtrack begins telling its own story. Crickets, frogs, wind, and the rhythms of the natural world become more than background atmosphere. They provide moments of calm as the emotional stakes continue to rise, gently reminding us of the physical world beyond the technology. Combined with elegant cinematography and carefully composed visuals, these moments are places for the audience to breathe.
Although artificial intelligence provides the framework for the story, Heartworm never feels consumed by technology. The film remains focused on people, relationships, grief, and the difficult choices love sometimes demands. The setting presents as near future; it’s just a step ahead of modern and believable.
We go to independent film festivals like Dances with Films, LA to be exposed to work that we may not otherwise encounter
Heartworm is one of those discoveries.
It challenges its audience. It makes viewers participate, working the story out in one’s mind instead of simply observing. By the time the final moments arrive, the emotional, visual, and musical elements have come together in a conclusion that feels expansive. It is deeply dramatic.
This is an assured feature debut from Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens. Thoughtful, beautifully crafted, and anchored by remarkable performances, Heartworm is a film that lingers well after the credits roll.
Cast: Amber Gray, Juan Riedinger, Lillias White, Ellie Reine, Derrick Baskin
Written & directed by: Miriam Louise Arens, Mitchell Arens
Produced by: Miriam Louise Arens, Flavia Amon, Sultan Pirzhan, Nancy Foy, Melanie Ramos
Executive Producers: Andrew Cardone, Nicole Cardone, Lynn Ditchfield, Michael Ditchfield, Nick Hasson, Dustin Hodge, Frank McKenna, Ashley Malone, Jijo Reed, Joey Sponseller
Director of Photography: Mitchell Arens
Edited by: Mitchell Arens
Music by: Anderson Alden, Joshua Hill, Mitchell Arens
Production Design: Molly Martin, Jon Savage
Costume Design: Shannon Fitzgerald
Sound Design: Dustin Hodge
Casting: Nancy Foy
Film website here.
