Between 1968 and 1978, a trio of Brits worked together on one of the biggest scientific innovations of the twentieth century — in vitro fertilization (I.V.F.). The story of those pioneers is making its way to the screen in the feature film Joy, co-created by Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes) and Rachel Mason (Am I Being Unreasonable?) and directed by Ben Taylor (Sex Education, Catastrophe).

While today millions of parents have welcomed babies into the world through I.V.F., the journey to that possibility was far from easy, including unsuccessful trials, a critical religious public, and a scrutinizing medical and science community that opposed the advancement at every turn. The trailblazers who continued to work despite the lack of support were scientist Robert Edwards (James Norton), surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy), and nurse and embryologist Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie). “It’s the most extraordinary story,” says Thorne. “When people think about scientific innovations, they have a vision of how it’s done: in a lab with lots of people in white coats, generally [in] Oxford. This story is entirely different from that.” 

Joy takes the perspective of Purdy, whose essential contributions to the project were long overlooked in the medical community even as her colleagues fought for her to be recognized. The tireless effort made by Steptoe, Purdy, and Edwards led to opportunities for those struggling with infertility, which co-writers and partners Thorne and Mason have experienced firsthand. “One in six people are affected by infertility,” says Mason, “and people don’t realize [I.V.F.] was pioneered here [in the U.K.]. People don’t [recognize] the trio that were involved, their perseverance.” Joy gives these historic trailblazers their long-overdue appreciation and sheds light on the sacrifice and passion they devoted to change the world of fertility.