Pulling The Goalie

Infertility On Ice: A beer league hockey player struggles with infertility.

“Avsharian has cleverly framed his film about male infertility from a conventionally male perspective using hockey as a metaphor to provide both context and levity. Sport provides an immediate connection to an uncomfortable and embarrassing topic with both situations and language that are laughingly familiar to both men and women. As an entry into the increasingly complex and demoralizing process of the infertility treadmill about which men frequently feel baffled and disengaged, Avsharian uses that parallel to create a deeply personal and compelling narrative.

“Pulling the Goalie” is not only a bittersweet movie that is both highly entertaining and moving, it also enters the underpopulated niche of works specifically dealing with the multiple issues faced by couples dealing with male infertility. Avsharian brings a lighthearted touch to a challenging health concern that exposes these issues with an honest yet hopeful touch. My hope is that his film will become recommended viewing for future couples with such issues, sports enthusiasts or not.”

Directed by Hiag Avsharian (USA)