Mandy's Choice

A Bioethical Controversy

A film by Luisa Pretolani, Granada International

Mandy and Josh were a happily married young couple, when their idyll was abruptly shattered. Josh was in a motorcycle accident which left him in a seven day coma with death imminent. Mandy, desperate to preserve her tie to her beloved husband, asked that his sperm be harvested so that she could have his child. As there was no written consent from Josh, the hospital refused. The family of both Mandy and Josh, as well as their friends, rallied to the cause, and with pressure on their behalf from the media, they were able to get this controversial issue resolved. Dr. Cappy Rothman, the first doctor to have harvested post mortem sperm (1978), subsequently founded the Cryobank in California to store sperm. With his help, Mandy’s mission was accomplished.

The film follows Mandy’s in vitro fertilization, her very emotional pregnancy and the birth of her son. Her resolve to bring up Josh’s child never wavers even when a new man enters her life. Josh’s parents are devastated at the loss of their son and the fear that Mandy’s new relationship may make it harder for them to be connected to their grandson. For Mandy, the birth 15 months after the fatal accident makes her feel that part of Josh has survived.

50 min. Video or DVD. Sale $295. Video rental $85