A devout Catholic teen and her fiercely loyal boyfriend are driven to desperation when an unplanned pregnancy in a state with strict abortion laws pushes them into a dangerous, ill-fated attempt to take matters into their own hands, fracturing their love and ending in irreversible tragedy.
Mila Hart is a devout Catholic high school student trying to reconcile her beliefs with her life's realities. Her boyfriend, Lucas Cruz, is fiercely loyal and determined to protect those he loves, even when the world around him offers few options. Lucas has barely finished high school as he takes care of his mother and sister, working at the autobody shop where his dad used to work before being deported. When Mila discovers she is pregnant in a state where abortion is criminalized after six weeks, the young couple is thrust into a spiral of panic and uncertainty. As legal restrictions tighten and the pressures of family, faith, and the future weigh on them, the purity of their love begins to fracture.
After fleeing a clinic mid-procedure—overwhelmed by surveillance, ID checks, and time constraints—Mila seeks refuge in the small flat above the autobody shop where she and Lucas often meet. Desperate to solve the problem without involving doctors or parents, Lucas turns to a dangerous solution he has pieced together from online research. What begins as an attempt to help soon spirals into a tense and volatile confrontation. Trapped and terrified, Mila fights to protect herself, and the night ends in irreversible tragedy.
Alyssa Rallo Bennett was born and raised in NYC, and trained at Tisch-Drama, she began her career working with directors like Zeffirelli, Scorsese, Robert Benton & Robert Lewis. Developing & co-produced Rain Without Thunder (Berlin Film Festival, starring Jeff Daniels, Ming-Na Wen & Steve Zahn), a human rights drama she went on to direct her first feature, The Pack, which was accepted into the Tribeca Film Festival (Lucie Arnaz, Elisabeth Moss), ReRUN (Christopher Lloyd), recently feature, The Arrival (Gravitas Ventures, starring Pooya Mohseni). Known as Rallo Bennett in the music world, she preforms live when not directing.
SCARECROW, starring Marin Hinkle & Kate Arrington is soon to premiere in festival. Alyssa co-founded Stonestreet Studios and created the Tisch Drama-affiliated Screen Acting & Production Residency, mentoring talents like Rachel Sennott, Miles Teller, Rachel Brosnahan, Nik Walker, Coral Peňa, Jack Quaid.
Rue Dangeau Short Film Grant - Quarter Finalist
