FEATURE FILM | Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie
Runtime: 103 minutes
Opening Night Reception to follow.
Shelley Beattie, a Deaf woman and champion bodybuilder, found fame in the 1990s on the hit TV show American Gladiators, where she competed under the name “Siren” before her untimely death in 2008. While charismatic, gorgeous and a fierce competitor, Beattie also battled personal demons, struggling with mental illness, addiction and questions of her own identity. Framed by the insight of another Deaf woman in Hollywood who found herself in the spotlight at the same time, Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, this riveting documentary unpacks the fascinating story of Shelley “Siren” Beattie and her complex legacy entwined with beauty, mental illness and love.
*Immediately following the film, there will be a post-screening conversation with the filmmaker Irene Taylor.
FEATURE FILM | Okthanksbye
Runtime: 91 minutes
When shy Jamie enrolls at a residential school for the Deaf, she is reluctant to make friends. However, when her beloved grandmother falls ill in Paris, a bold classmate named Imane helps hatch a plan to travel to Paris together, bringing many exciting adventures along the way. This funny, delightful and poignant story celebrates the bonds of friendship and family.
Shorts Program | Family Ties
Runtime: 84 minutes
These six eclectic films all center around family relationships, all complicated in their own way, featuring stories that vary in tone from comic to heartwarming to jarringly serious.
Program Lineup:
DINNER TABLE SYNDROME
HEALING HANDS
MY DEAF PAPA
TALK
I SEE A VOICE
IDLE HANDS
FEATURE FILM | Loud Love
Runtime: 97 minutes
Loud Love follows Alan and Brian, a Deaf gay couple in New York, as they raise their spirited hearing twins after a seven-year surrogacy journey. Blending cinema verité with intimate interviews, the film captures a decade of parenting across cultures, languages, and expectations — exploring Deaf identity, family dynamics, and what it truly means to be heard. As love gets louder, so do the challenges.
Shorts Program | State of the Union
Runtime: 81 minutes
These seven films explore the complicated dynamics of romantic relationships, ranging from the thrill of school dances with your crush to the heartbreak of lost love. Every story has something unique to say about the joys and sorrows that come with matters of the heart.
Program lineup:
SILENT COURAGE
I SEE DARK
CONTOURS
FAMILIAR STRANGER
TIT FOR TAT
BETWEEN SIGNS AND TIDES
SERENDIPITY BY SOFIA
Shorts Program | Outside the Box
Runtime: 88 minutes
These nine unusual stories all think outside the box and don’t easily fit into a traditional category. An intriguing mix of thrillers, animation, comedy, documentary, horror and sci-fi; these films are designed to challenge and keep you on your toes.
Program lineup:
REFRAIN
THE TALES OF VICTOR THE MISFITS CREATOR
GLASS CAGE
THRESHOLD
GHOST SANDWICH
IMPLANTABILITY
SUCKER
ERASED
LOCKDOON
Shorts Program | When There’s a Will
Runtime: 79 minutes
Exploring a broad range of topics and tone, these six outstanding films highlight themes of autonomy, persistence and having agency over our lives.
Program lineup:
EYE OF THE GAME
TURN UP THE BASS
THE POWER OF GOODBYE
FROM INVISIBLE TO INVINCIBLE
MEDAL CHASE
RESILIENCE
Shorts Program | On the Job
Runtime: 89 minutes
People on the job in their professional lives are in focus in these six stories that cover a wide range of characters, topics and genres.
Program lineup:
FLUENT
MAINTAINED
THE EYE
CLEANED OUT
BEYOND SILENCE
REMOTE STRUTTING
Feature Film | Passengers
Runtime: 55 minutes
Closing night reception to follow.
In this heartfelt American-Sign-Language and English-spoken, LGBTQ rom-com series pilot set during Christmas in New York City, Dale, a Deaf man, moves cross-country from Los Angeles to start fresh after heartbreak. His world flips when he meets Wyatt, a charming hearing man who doesn't know ASL or Deaf culture. As sparks fly beneath the holiday lights, Dale continues chasing his dream of a career in accessibility-focused tech while colliding with the fancy, high-rise world of Manhattan’s wealthy elite. Dale and Wyatt's whimsical meet-cute blossoms into a tender, funny, and complicated romance that dares to defy communication barriers.
*Immediately following the film, there will be a post-screening conversation with the filmmaker Dickie Drew Hearts, which will include a showing of the original 2015 short film that inspired this new project.