“Hold on to what’s Real”
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Normandie Films announces the SoCal Premiere of HEARTWORM, the debut feature film written and directed by Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens, at the 29th Annual Dances With Films: LA on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at 4:00 PM at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.
Set in a near future where virtual reality has become a refuge for the grieving, HEARTWORM follows Avena (Amber Gray), a bereaved mother battling to pull her family back from the edge of disappearance. Her husband Mark (Juan Riedinger) has retreated into NeuraLife—a fully immersive AI world that promises comfort, continuity, and escape from unbearable loss.
Drawn into a disorienting journey through memory, technology, and longing, Avena must face a haunting question for our time: when comfort is infinite, what becomes of being human? At a time when AI is advancing at a dizzying pace, HEARTWORM reminds us that the most critical choices we face may not be technological, but deeply personal.
About the Filmmakers
HEARTWORM marks the debut feature from co-directors Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens. The film explores themes of grief, technological escapism, and the human need for authentic connection in an increasingly virtual world. The Dances With Films premiere represents an important milestone for the filmmaking duo, bringing their vision to one of Hollywood’s most storied venues.
