While she did not win the award, last week Jenny Slate was nominated for Best Actress at the Indie Spirit Awards. She was nominated for the film "Obvious Child," a film most people haven't even heard about. Jenny Slate stars in the Gillian Robespierre directed film about a woman who gets pregnant off a one-night stand and then decides to have an abortion. Instead of fixating on her decision, Slate's character revels in life, love, friendship, and an amazing support system. Never before has such a grim topic been tackled with such grace and hilarity.

As Slate's Donna goes through the abortion process, she ends up falling in love with the unfortunate Baby Daddy. While she doesn't tell him at first that she is pregnant, a remarkable thing happens after she finally does tell him: He stays by her side! Ryan (Paul Briganti) doesn't shirk away from his responsibility. He ends up accompanying Donna to the Clinic to have her procedure, and it's such a heartfelt and beautiful moment. He appears on her sidewalk holding flowers as though he is about to pick her up for a date, not take her to get an abortion.

In today's age, where abortion is such a real issue and such events are not uncommon, "Obvious Child" is the type of movie we need. We don't need another Nicholas Sparks film where unrealistically gorgeous people fall for each other in increasingly more melodramatic ways with an overwhelming amount of obstacles between them. Real issues need to be at the forefront of films that are meant for the public, and it's a shame more people haven't seen this film. As audience members, we need relatable scenarios that showcase what it means to be alive and to deal with real issues.

Sure, the topics are extremely relevant, but what makes this film truly shine is the incomparable Jenny Slate. She infuses the film with humor and honesty, emphasizing the already beautiful script by Gillian Robespierre. To echo Cate Blanchett's quote at last year's Oscars, "Perhaps those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films, with females at the center, are niche experiences, they are not. Audiences want to see them."

Brooke Schmidt is a student at The College of New Jersey and a contributor to Moviefone's Campus Beat.