Independent film Ghosts of the Republique documents gay surrogacy journey

A new independent film showing the heartfelt story of a same-sex couple wanting to have children has been released this month

Ghosts of the Republique follows the story of Aurelian and Nicolas, a French couple who have become frustrated with France’s outdated surrogacy laws and decide to travel to America.

In France surrogacy is banned and couples have to travel abroad to realise their dream. But even when they have a child via surrogacy internationally, the child still cannot be recognised as theirs.

The docu-film follows the couple as they fly to Las Vegas to begin their international surrogacy journey and how they navigate the complexities and sometimes controversial world of surrogacy.

Film-maker Jonathon Narducci,  CEO of Powershot Productions, based in Los Angeles, said it is an important story to tell.

He said, “We’ve achieved marriage equality in the US and other countries around the world, but today’s laws are far from clear when it comes to surrogacy and that is where things really get interesting.

“The idea of what a family is is one of the most coveted values in society. The film shows us that the definition of family is always changing.”

Jonathon added, “This technology is one that has not only brought hope to couples who struggle with infertility but also to couples who struggle with equality. But while it is a source of hope for many, surrogacy also raises ethical considerations with various legal implications across the globe.”

The couple has since had a second child with the same surrogate and they live in Paris with both children.

The film, which was released on November 17, is available on Youtube, Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft, and Vimeo.

Did you undertake international surrogacy to have a family? Has that dream been put on hold during the pandemic? We’d love to hear your story? Email, mystory@ivfbabble.com