Love Always, Mom (2017)
About the AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY Film
There are people that wish for miracles to happen, and then there are people that make them happen. This is a film about perseverance in the face of huge adversity, and to not let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams.
After 3 plus years battling stage 4 breast cancer, Trish Russo and her husband Greg, make the controversial decision to embark on a journey to have a child using an egg donor and a surrogate. The couple pick up the camera and turn it on themselves, initially to provide a resource for others who need to use alternative technology to build a family but it becomes much more than that. With both tears and laughter, we follow Trish and Greg as they get unique offers from friends and family to be surrogates and egg donors, follow them in the OR as they retrieve eggs and transfer embryos, and finally experience all the nerves and joys of pregnancy and birth. This is a never before seen look into the battle against metastatic breast cancer, as well as infertility, IVF, egg donation, and surrogacy.
Moreover, it is a mother’s love letter to her unborn child and a message to anyone facing an insurmountable challenge, that there is always hope.
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Meet the Cast & Crew of Love Always, Mom
TRICIA RUSSO
Co-Writer, Co-Producer, & Co-Director
Featured Subject | Stage 4 Cancer Thriver
President of The Cyan Gray Hope Foundation
Tricia Russo previously worked in development for companies such as Miramax Films and Walt Disney Motion Pictures after earning her MFA at USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program.
Tricia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and has been living with stage 4 breast cancer since February 2013. In 2015, Tricia founded The Cyan Gray Hope Foundation, a non-profit focusing on creating content to raise awareness for metastatic breast cancer and infertility.
Love Always, Mom is their first project and recently won the Audience Award at the Bentonville Film Festival and Best of the Fest at the Catalina Film Festival. Proceeds from the ultimate sale of the documentary will fund research for metastatic breast cancer, as well as other cancer and infertility initiatives. Tricia has appeared as a speaker for the Avon Foundation, Healing Gardens of NWA, served as a Hear My Voice Volunteer for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and runs a support group for young metastatic breast cancer survivors in Los Angeles.
She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, college-sweetheart and screenwriter, Greg Russo, and their son, Grayson. Tricia currently creates screening programs around the film for partners across the world, and travels to speak on cancer and infertility. Connect with her here.
CRAIG E. SHAPIRO
Co-Producer & Co-Director
Craig E. Shapiro has produced and directed documentary and non-fiction content for networks including ESPN, NFL NETWORK , VH1 and HBO.
His most recent documentary The Naismith 50, a college basketball documentary narrated by John Malkovich, aired on CBS in March.
In 2006 his feature documentary, Ice Kings, the story of one of the most successful high school sports programs in the country, won the Audience Award at The Rhode Island International Film Festival and aired on PBS, and sports networks around the country. He has been working to capture Trish Russo’s journey since February 2014.
GREG RUSSO
Featured Subject (Tricia’s husband)
Greg Russo has worked as a professional screenwriter for nearly a decade primarily in the action/adventure genre and branded IP space. He has sold multiple specs, pitches, and TV pilots and written tent poles for nearly every studio in town. He has worked on such properties as Resident Evil and Robotech for director James Wan, as well as the sequel to “Death Note” for Netflix. He is currently writing adaptations of the video games “Saints Row” for director F. Gary Gray and “Space Invaders” for New Line.
Greg’s first produced feature, Mortal Kombat, based on the acclaimed video game franchise, began production in September 2019 and will be released worldwide in March 2021.
Greg never thought he’d find himself on the other side of the camera but when his wife, Tricia wanted to document their family-building as a resource he was on board. Although at times he found the filming invasive, he knew it would make a difference to so many. Grayson is his pride and joy and he is thankful every day for his family.
GRAYSON RUSSO
Featured Subject (Tricia and Greg’s son)
The biggest star of Love Always, Mom is clearly Grayson Russo! Grayson was born on camera. He walked his first red carpet at 18 months at Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival. Grayson has attended almost every single film festival with his mother, Tricia. When they walk in after the end credits roll the joy permeates the room.
Grayson is now 3 years old and has met so many people and racked up so many frequent flyer miles in his short life! He has been told his birth story numerous times. He understands that he came from Meghan’s belly, that Tricia is his mommy, & that Kali played a part - sorta.
He loves Super Wings, legos, running in circles, and going on adventures.