ON DEAF EARS, 13min., UK
Directed by Ty Hunt
A mother's worst fear comes true when her special needs daughter's actions are misunderstood during a routine traffic stop.

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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I have a daughter with special needs, and the scenario in the film has always been a concern. What happens if her processing time and level of understanding lags in an intense or critical situation? I decided to finally write about it in 2020 after the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor killings occurred.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Two years. And that includes my first attempt at filming it.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Necessary storytelling

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Weather! The whole film was set outside, and Georgia rain in the summer can be a beast. For multiple reasons, we needed to shoot on the weekend. It would be sunny all week, and then the rain would come Saturday and Sunday.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I felt understood. It was surreal to see and hear the passion in the audience's feedback.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
In 2002 just before my senior year of college, I found an old script that I'd written during my freshman year of high school. I decided to write the story as a novel since I couldn't just go out and make a film, but I also enrolled in film school at Full Sail University and attended after graduation.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Ha! Set it Off. Coming to America is a close second.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Maybe some type of intentional opportunity to network with one or more fellow filmmakers.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
The submission process was very easy!

10. What is your favorite meal?
Hmm... That's tricky. One of my favorites is fried catfish with fried potatoes and onions.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Yes, I have a romantic comedy I'd like to shoot. I'm also writing for a comedy that my director asked me to be a part of.