2021 Short Film Competition

The 18th annual Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival Oct 15 - 16 2021. Lost Reel Short Film Showcase Aug 16 - Sept 15 2021.

Thanks to the 2021 Short Film Competition Judges!

2021 Documentary Division Finalists

Film poster for the Beautiful Colors of Jeremy Sicile-Kira: closeup of a frowning man with a moustache and bread in profile.Light green blurs dot the foreground. Superimposed over the image are award laurels in black, the title of the film in pink and purple bold text, and the words A Film By Aaron Lemle in purple italics.

THE BEAUTIFUL COLORS OF JEREMY SICILE-KIRA

Dir. Aaron Lemle. United States
Jeremy Sicile-Kira uses painting to transcend his disability and communicate his dreams to others.

Film Poster for Diseased and Disorderly: A woman with short brown hair, a crown of flowers, and a bright red shirt with flowers, looks down in concentration at a large page she's drawing on with a pencil. A drawn figure with flowers on its heads stands behind her. The title of the film appears overhead, with the words A Film by Eden and Andrew Kotting in a handwriting font.

DISEASED AND DISORDERLY

Dir. Andrew Kötting. United Kingdom
DISEASED AND DISORDERLY is a film that uses the paintings, drawings and collages of the neurodiverse artist Eden Kötting to make imagistic gold. Assisted by her father, Andrew Kötting, the 2D animator Glenn Whiting, and the 3D animator Isabel Skinner, the collaboration takes us on a phantasmagorical journey into a world of Eden's making and then beyond. Website | Facebook | Instagram

TBI & My Longest Ride film poster: a man in athletic clothes and a helmet walks a bike away from the camera. The film title appears in orange text by his head.

TBI & MYLONGEST RIDE

Dir. Cheryl Green, Karl Moritz. United States
Karl Kajomo Moritz faced the ultimate life change when he was bicycle commuting home from work in 2010 and was hit head on by a car and spent five weeks in a coma. Kajomo developed a healing plan with healthy eating, acupuncture, speech therapy, neurofeedback, and high cardio velodrome track riding. He embarked on what he calls spinning for neurogenesis: improving cognition and overall brain bandwidth and reconnecting with his sons and his community. Funded by a generous grant from Regional Arts & Culture Council.

Image of Blurred out blue and green lights against a black background.

THE UNIVERSE ACCORDING TO DAN BUCKLEY

Dir. Roberto Santaguida. Canada
In the beginning, there was nothing. You can get nothing easily.

Film poster for Vernos Florecer: a painting of fifteen women, holding signs, making signs in their hands, or raising their arms, most smiling. Above them, blooms sprout from the words Vernos Florecer.

VERNOS FLORECER (SEEING UP BLOSSOM)

Dir. Claudia Castellàn, Huayra Bello. Guatemala
In January 2020, the Women with the Ability to Dream in Color (Mujeres con Capacidad de Soñar a Colores) collective and the METOCA organization conducted the first Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory exclusively for women with disabilities. In Sololà, Guatemala, using their creativity, complicity, pleasure, and collective strength, this group starts to break their silence and change a history of exclusion and violence legitimated by the state, the system and society at large. Trailer

 

2021 Non-documentary Division Finalists

BEAUTIFUL BEAR

Dir. Stuart Quinn. United Kingdom
Peter is on autism spectrum and lives with a soft toy bear companion called Teddy. The two are inseparable. However, one night he must summon the courage to face a situation he has never faced before and for the first time... without Teddy.

Film post for Cocoon: a figure in giant coat with the hood up, obscuring its face, stands on a stack of VHS tapes. The text Cocoon appears in red marker above the image, followed by the film credits in black typewriter font.

COCOON

Dir. Yavar Darehzami. Islamic Republic of Iran
The short man, under the influence of the media, makes an artificial limb for himself, grows tall, comes out of his house, and we see that everyone is short. Instagram

Film poster for Feeling Through: at night, two men in winter clothes sit side by side in front of a grattifi-covered gate. One clasps his hands and looks anxiously to the side. The other holds a notebook calmly in both hands. Below the image, pale yellow text reads Academy award nomination for best live action short film Feeling Through, a film by Doug Roland.

FEELING THROUGH

Dir. Doug Roland. United States
FEELING THROUGH, the first film to star a DeafBlind actor, is a coming of age story that follows Tereek, a teen wandering the streets of New York, desperate for a place to crash when he encounters Artie, a DeafBlind man in need of help getting home. From an awkward meeting between strangers emerges an intimate bond, and a journey that forever changes Tereek. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Film Poster for The Secret Life of Tom Lightfoot: close up of a man in profile who seems to be about to speak. Superimposed on top of the image are film credits and five award laurels.

THE SECRET LIFE OF TOM LIGHTFOOT

Dir. Ray Jacobs. United Kingdom
Tom Lightfoot works as a calls operator for "We have the Answers," a call centre which answers anybody's questions about absolutely anything. Tom is secretly studying for a PHD in bird migration, but this is not Tom's secret life; his secret is inside of him. This film is part of a series of films, ˜Secret Lives," that combines the artistry and experiences of UK learning disability group ˜Arty Party," the film direction of Ray Jacobs, and the writings of NYT best selling fantasy author Jeff Vandermeer. Facebook

Film Poster for Sign Night: against a dark background, two women mirror each other, looking up and making a BSL sign in front of their faces. Over the image are the words Sign Night in yellow and in white, a short film by Cathy Mager. Two deaf women separated by lockdown unite through sign language in poetic projection. Starring Vilma Jackson and Sophie Stone. Logos of funders.

SIGN NIGHT

Dir. Cathy Mager. United Kingdom
Sign Night is a poetic conversation in sign language between two star crossed lovers, projected onto buildings in central Bristol, U.K. The deaf performers share their dreams for the future from building to building, across the night sky. Sign Night is inspired by the balcony performers of Wuhan and Lombardy, this time using British Sign Language (BSL), the vital, visual and versatile language of British deaf communities. Website | Twitter | Instagram

Still from Signs and Gestures: a smiling woman in an apron holds a red flower to her nose.

SIGNS AND GESTURES

Dir. Itandehui Jansen. United Kingdom
Florist Clara relies on smell, touch and sound. She has recently been chatting with art student Simon through a dating app. They arrange to meet in person. However, during their first date an unexpected situation arises. Website | Facebook | Instagram

Film Poster for Wiggle Room: illustration of a woman wheeling hurriedly through multiple figures: a man getting handcuffed, a woman beckoning with one arm next to a kneeling child, a man with long hair chasing after the woman in the wheelchair. Beneath the image is the film title and credits and Sundance laurels.

WIGGLE ROOM

Dir. Sam Guest, Julia Baylis. United States
Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. Website | Instagram

Within the Silence film poster: Closeup on an elven woman with pointy ears, bright blue eyes, and a leafy tiara, looking hopefully into the distances. In the background is a glowing circle of leaves.The film title is below in a Celtic typeface.

WITHIN THE SILENCE

Dir. Jade Tailor. Canada
A young girl, Iris, escapes a tumultuous reality and her abusive father by fleeing deep into her imagination. As she immerses herself in her storybook, she finds that the reality she had once known would quickly fade away. It is there, in the depths of her mind, that she finds hope, a touch of magic, and a place few dare to dream. Instagram

< 2020 Competition

2022 Competition >

Submit to the Film Festival

Click to submit with FilmFreeway

The 2024 Short Film Competition is open.

Extended registration ($60) closes May 3, and late registration ($80) begins.

The final deadline is June 7.

Film Fest Newsletter

Sign up for our e-newsletter to stay up to date with the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival & Short Film Competition.

Subscribe to CTDFF News

Current issue: Thank you, William Greer!

Meet Our Sponsors

Thanks to our 2023 Film Fest sponsors

Contact the Film Festival

Contact: Laura Perna
Phone: (512) 478-3366 ext. 305
Email: filmfest@txdisabilities.org

Facebook iconTwitter iconInstagram