‘Conceivable’ film explores unexpected pregnancy and the ‘rough edges’ of Christian life

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Entertainment Editor Monday, September 28, 2026

Beth Caulfield thought she knew exactly what the next chapter of her life would look like. In her mid-40s, the mother of two returned to seminary as her children grew older, and she and her husband prepared for a different stage of life when Caulfield discovered she was unexpectedly pregnant.

“You don't think that this can happen. You wonder, you know, why it happened,” Caulfield told The Christian Post. “Especially through a Christian lens, you're thinking, wait, this isn't the story that I thought that God was unfolding.”

The experience, including the complicated emotions Caulfield initially felt ashamed to admit, inspired “Conceivable,” her debut feature film exploring pregnancy, faith and trusting God amid unforeseen circumstances. 

From Hawk Hill Pictures and releasing in theaters Oct. 16, the movie follows Brielle Burns, a 45-year-old minister and mother of two nearly grown children, whose future is upended by an unexpected pregnancy that forces her to confront what she believes about God, her purpose and her family. 

“Conceivable” stars Jana Lee Hamblin, who also co-directs, alongside Eddie McClintock, Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, Wendy Griffith, Camille Joy and Preston Howell.

When Caulfield first discovered she was pregnant, she wasn’t overjoyed. In Christian circles, she said, she was always taught that women should respond to pregnancy with instant happiness, and thus felt guilty about her reaction. 

“It brought about a reaction in me that I did not expect,” she said. “At the same time, [I] felt very vulnerable in sharing about ... how could I not feel complete joy and be ecstatic and have all the concerns that I had?”

“Wait a minute, you're a Christian. You're not supposed to feel that way. Children are a blessing,” she recalled thinking.

Years later, as she reflected on the experience, Caulfield realized she wasn’t alone in those struggles. 

“I realized I needed to tell this story because I was not alone in what I was going through,” she said. “Nobody's really put this on film. Nobody's talking about this.”

An ordained minister whose career has also included time in the corporate world, Caulfield said conversations surrounding unplanned pregnancies have often been stripped of nuance because the topic of pregnancy and abortion has “become so politically polarizing.”

“Folks are so afraid of being judged that they aren't honest about it,” she said. “There's a lot of information that just kind of gets swept underneath, which just compounds the problem for people.”

Caulfield said the primary message of “Conceivable” is to seek God and trust Him to direct one's path, particularly when circumstances diverge dramatically from expectations.

“Whether it's unplanned pregnancy or anything that we face in life, we grow in our faith and have those muscles stretched when we do have to go back and say, ‘OK, everything I'm feeling doesn't line up with feeling strong in faith, but I need to go back to my spiritual disciplines,’” she said.

The film depicts that process through prayer, Scripture, friendships, family and Christian community, she said, adding: “The important part of it is leaning in and hearing God through all of it.”

For Caulfield, the project has also become an opportunity to challenge churches to engage more openly with women and families experiencing unexpected pregnancies.

“It should be something that is addressed from the pulpit,” she said. “People are afraid of a subject that, again, has become politicized. But there are real people, real needs associated with unplanned pregnancy, and what a great place to show God's grace.”

Churches should not only be willing to discuss the subject, she said, but also become familiar with ministries equipped to provide assistance. When she found out she was pregnant, Caulfield said she had little awareness of pregnancy resource centers because she assumed they primarily served teenagers or unmarried women.

“All of those stereotypes need to be dispelled because there are some great resources out there in pregnancy centers,” she said, pointing to counseling, medical assistance, diapers, clothing, and other resources among the services available.

Caulfield said her work on “Conceivable” also opened her eyes to another ministry need: women and families dealing with the emotional aftermath of abortion.

She recalled how, following an early screening of the film, she met a woman in her 70s who told her she wished she had received the kind of support depicted in “Conceivable” when she faced her own pregnancy years earlier.

“I know God has forgiven me, and I've moved on in my life, but watching this, I realize that I still need to be set free,” Caulfield recalled the woman telling her.

After that meeting, Caulfield said she was motivated to partner with abortion recovery organizations around the country as part of the ministry surrounding the film.

“My focus is on uplifting those kinds of ministries through showing the story that hopefully helps validate what women and whole families go through in these situations, and then helping people be aware, become more compassionate and ultimately save lives,” she said.

Caulfield said she initially considered telling her story in book form, and even wrote about it in a magazine, but she kept envisioning it onscreen.

Then, while praying about what direction to take, Caulfield said she opened an old Bible and a blessing someone had given her fell out. It referenced Isaiah 40 and its imagery of going up on “a high mountain to proclaim God.”

“What hit me as I read that was there's no higher mountain than entertainment and films and movies,” she said. “That's where our culture takes cues from, good or bad. We need more good, and it needs to be quality.”

“[Faith-based stories need to] be complex, not sugar-coated, not all the bad things they say about faith-based films,” she said. “It needs to be willing to show authentic faith life, Christian life, and that includes the rough edges.”

Every major character in “Conceivable” has flaws, she said, and each experiences growth throughout the story.

Despite the film's engagement with one of the country's most divisive issues, Caulfield said her aim is ultimately to reach women who may be experiencing the same fear and isolation she once felt.

“You're not alone,” she said. “You're not the only one who's gone through this, and there are people who want to be with you and help you through this. The Lord is with you. There is nothing that the Lord has not seen, nor is willing to come alongside and comfort and give you grace through.”

Every woman's circumstances will be different, she stressed, but her hope is that the message central to “Conceivable” transcends those differences.

“The Lord, as you seek Him, will guide you and make your path straight,” she said. “Find comfort in that. ... The end is not here; it's just the beginning.”