October Baby is the debut feature film from brothers Jon and Andrew Erwin screening for one night only around Australia on Monday 3 September. It tells the story of 19-year-old Hannah Lawson who discovers that not only is she adopted, but she is also the survivor of a failed abortion. Spurred by feelings of confusion, rejection and betrayal, Hannah goes on a journey to find her birth mother and uncover her past. Hannah’s journey is ultimately one of finding herself, healing past hurts, finding love and learning to forgive.
The most heart-wrenching scene in the film is an encounter between Hannah and her birth mother Cindy Hastings, played by Shari Rigby. It highlights the experience recounted by many post-abortive women; the pain and regret that leads them to bury their secret and try to forget it. For Shari, this was a role sent by God, and what the Erwin brothers didn’t know when they sent her the script was how much she and Cindy had in common. We caught up with Shari to talk about what led her to want to be a part of October Baby, and how the film is already helping to bring hope and healing after abortion.
To buy tickets, visit www.koorong.com, or read more at octoberbabymovie.net
