When Christina’s fiancé dies suddenly in a car accident, she faces a dilemma: if science could allow you to hold onto a piece of someone you loved and lost, how far might you go to do it? Retrieval, directed by Tracy Jarrett, explores this question while also pondering greater questions around loss, life and legacy. Postmortem Sperm Retrieval (PSMR) is a medical procedure invented in the 1970s but one that remains unfamiliar to most Americans. Many doctors aren’t even aware of the option, and most families wouldn’t even think to inquire about it when faced with a loved one’s sudden death.

In real time, Jarrett weaves together multiple perspectives — from the doctors interested in advancing technology to the families making heartbreaking decisions — and investigates the lengths one might go to for a miracle. Each story examines the pain of loss and how both families and professionals struggle to live with it.—Deborah Rudolph