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Heartworm, a new sci-fi drama featuring Tony Award nominee Amber Gray, will make its World Premiere at the 2026 Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, running March 10 through March 22, 2026 in Silicon Valley.
The film screens at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View on Saturday, March 14 at 2:30 PM and Tuesday, March 17 at 2:35 PM.
Heartworm follows Avena (Gray) and Mark (Juan Riedinger), parents shattered by the loss of their child. In a near future shaped by immersive artificial intelligence, they turn to NeuraLife, a digital ecosystem indistinguishable from reality, that offers advanced AI-generated simulations capable of recreating memory, voice, and personality.
As a mysterious glitch ripples through the system, old memories resurface, and the couple’s shared past refuses to stay buried. What begins as solace becomes a moral reckoning. As Mark retreats into the glow of synthetic reunion, Avena confronts the devastating question at the center of the film: when does memory become a dangerous substitute for acceptance?
Heartworm marks the feature film debut of Gray, who is known for her performance as Persephone in Hadestown and will soon be seen in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Tony Award winner Lillias White is also featured as a member of the film’s ensemble.
The movie is written and directed by award-winning NYU Tisch Asia alumni Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens, with cinematography by Mitchell Arens.
Amber Gray has originated roles in numerous productions over the years, including: Claudia in Sondheim’s final musical Here We Are; Persephone in Hadestown; Hélène in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812; Laurey in Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma!; and Zoe in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ An Octoroon. Other theatre credits include Sam Gold’s Macbeth on Broadway and Taylor Mac’s A 24 Decade History of Popular Music.
Screen credits include “Long Bright River,” Barry Jenkins’ “Underground Railroad,” Broadway cult favorites “Submissions Only” and “The Gilded Age,” Ben Stiller’s “Escape at Dannemora,” Alex Harvey’s Walden: Life in the Woods, Gabe Braden’s Where There’s Smoke, Mariama Diallo’s Master, Michael VQ’s Submission, and The Arens’ Heartworm.
