Heartworm 2026

Directed by Miriam Louise Arens

In a near future where virtual reality has become a refuge for the grieving, Heartworm follows Avena, a bereaved mother struggling to pull her family back from the edge of disappearance. Her husband Mark has retreated into NeuraLife, a fully immersive AI world that promises comfort, continuity, and escape from unbearable loss. As Avena searches for a way to reconnect with him, she’s drawn into a disorienting journey through memory, technology, and longing. Featuring a striking breakout performance by Broadway star Amber Gray, Heartworm asks a haunting question for our time: when comfort is infinite, what becomes of being human?