2025 FESTIVAL WINNERS
Congrats to our winners!


Animation
Ghost Sandwich
3:05 min | [CC]
A deaf woman goes out to order a sandwich, but loses her phone and struggles to get the food that she wants from people who don't know sign language.
Directed by Lymon Thorn

Short
Glass Cage
12 min | [CC]
A deaf woman battles an internal force gnawing at her will to live, in a haunting cinematic mood piece that explores isolation and resilience.
Directed by Jules Dameron

Feature
OkThanksBye
90 min | [CC}
An adventurous coming-of-age drama about two young deaf girls who go on an unforgettable road trip together where they not only get to know each other better, but also themselves.
Directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk
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Short
Echoes Between the Land and Blue Sky:The Lives of Mongolian
Deaf Nomads
30 min | [CC]
Echoes Between Land and Blue Sky: The Lives of Mongolian Deaf Nomads documentary spotlights the lives of deaf herders in Mongolia, an overlooked community uniquely affected by climate change. Set against the backdrop of Mongolia's breathtaking yet unforgiving landscapes, the film introduces herders who navigate the challenges of isolation, environmental shifts, and cultural preservation. The documentary is structured into four acts, each focused on a different herder family, interconnected by overarching themes of climate resilience, cultural identity, and social inclusion.
Directed by Itgel Byambadori

Feature
Alfredo Corrado
90 min | [CC]
This unique documentary on Alfredo Corrado recounts the creation of International Visual Theater (IVT) and the adventures of the first deaf theater in France at the Château de Vincennes, which changed the history of deaf people in France.
Directed by Julien Bourges
2025 Program Book

With heartfelt gratitude,
MJ Kiego
Founder & President, The Zankza Project
Chair, Deaf Film Festival
WELCOME!
Welcome to the 2025 Deaf Film Festival
Thank you for joining us for the second biennial Deaf Film Festival in Austin, Texas. What began as a single event hosted by The Zankza Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Deaf artists and creatives, has grown into a citywide celebration of Deaf cinema, culture, and community. This year’s festival expands across three venues throughout Austin, showcasing powerful stories told through the visual language and artistry of Deaf filmmakers from around the world.
Over the next three days—October 10–12, 2025—we invite you to experience an exciting lineup of films, workshops, and conversations that highlight the depth and diversity of Deaf storytelling. From intimate shorts to full-length features, each screening opens a window into creativity, resilience, and collaboration within our community.
Whether you’re a filmmaker, cinephile, or a supporter of inclusive art, your presence helps sustain a growing movement that amplifies Deaf voices and nurtures connections that extend far beyond the screen.
2025 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10
4:00 pm
Filmmaker Dinner
5:00 pm
Aweability Event with ASL Slam - City Hall
-
Idle Hands
-
Deaf Capo
7:30 pm
Festival Kickoff - The Violet Crown
-
Serendipity by Sofia. 8 minutes
-
Signs from the Mainland 18 minutes
-
Don't Look 14 minutes
-
Contours 13 minutes
-
OKThanksBye 1 hour and 30 minutes
10:00 pm
Socialize
• 6th Street
• The Holdout
SATURDAY OCTOBER 11
9:30 am
Doors open at Texas School for the Deaf Auditorium
10:00 am
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Memory Flows in the Living 1 hour
11:00 am
Screenwriting Workshop - TSD Auditorium
-
Adam Membrey x WriterDuet 30 minutes
11:30 am
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Resilience 18 minutes
-
The Tales of Victor 13 minutes
-
Ruptures of Disability Difference 2 minutes
-
Ghost Sandwich 3 minutes
-
Fluent 9 minutes
-
Medal Chase 10 minutes
12:30 pm
Lunch Break
-
Lotz BBQ
-
Sip n' Connect
-
Trubiz Waffle
-
Tunisian Bakes
1:00 pm
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Alfredo Corrado 1 hour and 30 minutes
2:45 pm
Q&A with Filmmakers
-
Filmmakers 30 minutes
3:30 pm
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Talk 2 minutes
-
Remote Strutting 12 minutes
-
Echoes Between Land and Blue Sky 30 minutes
-
Glass Cage 12 minutes
-
Beyond Silence 18 minutes
-
Between Signs and Tides 16 minutes
5:00 pm
Dinner Break
-
Lotz BBQ
-
Sip n' Connect
-
Trubiz Waffle
-
Tunisian Bakes
6:00 pm
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
The Way We Talk 2 hours and 10 minutes
8:30 pm
AFTERPARTY - The Sunset Room
9:00 pm
Awards Announcement
9:30 pm
The Harold Foxx Show
10:00 pm
21+ Only
12:30 am
Last Call for Alcohol
1:00 am
Festival Afterparty Ends
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12
10:00 am
Meet the Filmmakers Brunch - TSD
-
Trubiz Waffle
-
Laura's Empanadas
-
Tunisian Bakes
11:00 am
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Silent Rhythm 30 minutes
-
Unmasking Deaf Ed 55 minutes
-
The Power of Goodbye 23 minutes
1:30 pm
Closing Ceremony - TSD Auditorium
-
Deaf Film Festival Committee 30 minutes

HOW TO GET TO DFF
Friday: The Violet Crown (movie theater)
434 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701

Saturday & Sunday: Texas School for the Deaf - Main Auditorium
1102 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704
Saturday Afterparty: The Sunset Room
310 E 3rd St, Austin, TX 78701

ALL FILMS

Animation
Ghost Sandwich
3:05 min | [CC]
A deaf woman goes out to order a sandwich, but loses her phone and struggles to get the food that she wants from people who don't know sign language.
Directed by Lymon Thorn

Animation
The Tales of Victor the Misfits Creator
13:13 min | [CC]
In the heart of a dark forest, a friendship sparks the light.
Directed by Paul Miller

Animation
Ruptures of Disability Difference: Animating the Creativity of Deaf-Nondeaf Communication
2:15 min | [CC]
An animation that contextualizes research on deaf, non-deaf education and inclusivity.
Directed by Eddie Rosas and Carlos Rosas

Short
Medal Chase
10 min | [CC]
Meet Rudolfs, currently one of the top deaf swimmers in the world. Medal Chase is a short film that dives into his ambitious journey, the emotional and physical hurdles and the profound personal sacrifices he had to make along the way.
Directed by Kevin Shiva

Short
Signs from the Mainland
18 min | [CC]
As winter blankets Martha's Vineyard, Jeffrey Mansfield steps through the lost history of its once-thriving Deaf community. As facts fade into myth, he uncovers a deeper truth about language, home, and belonging.
Directed by Michael Cestaro

Short
Silent Rhythm
30 min | [CC]
Dance, community, and Deaf culture are explored as senior GDC dancers and their director prepare for their last spring concert and life after Gallaudet University.
Directed by Sarah Goolishian
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Short
Echoes Between the Land and Blue Sky:The Lives of Mongolian
Deaf Nomads
30 min | [CC]
Echoes Between Land and Blue Sky: The Lives of Mongolian Deaf Nomads documentary spotlights the lives of deaf herders in Mongolia, an overlooked community uniquely affected by climate change. Set against the backdrop of Mongolia's breathtaking yet unforgiving landscapes, the film introduces herders who navigate the challenges of isolation, environmental shifts, and cultural preservation. The documentary is structured into four acts, each focused on a different herder family, interconnected by overarching themes of climate resilience, cultural identity, and social inclusion.
Directed by Itgel Byambadori

Short
Between Signs and Tides
16 min | [CC]
In a romance that has just begun, Mari and Ana decide to visit IIha do Mel together, in order to create shared memories. Once there, the two, who are deaf women, look for a guide who understands sign language and are surprised by Lambe-Lambe. As they tour the Island's tourist attractions, the three understand that every love story deserves to be lived.
Directed by Joao Gabriel Kowalski and Joao Gabriel Ferreira

Short
Don't Look
14 min | [CC]
A group of friends plays 'Don't Look,' a game where opening your eyes summons deadly spirits. Their thrill turns to terror as they unleash supernatural forces and must confront their worst fears to survive.
Directed by Danny Murphy

Short
Remote Strutting
12 min | [CC]
An imaginative young IT professional battles self-limitations that prevent her from stepping out of her comfort zone and into the real world.
Directed by Lorna Fitzsimons

Short
Resilience
18 min | [CC]
Way out in the country, Joseph, a deaf man, lives alone. A traumatic experience leaves him unable to leave the village. One day, a delivery man comes with a package that will change him.
Directed by Julien Bourges

Short
Talk
2 min | [CC]
A Deaf homeowner needs the help of a translator to get his air conditioning repaired, but the real break down is in their communication when the translator stops being polite and we realize the translator's true identity.
Directed by Jessica Perlman

Short
Fluent
9 min | [CC]
Amy trains a quirky new employee who has a unique and unconventional approach to learning sign language. This short film features ASL, LSQ, English, and French.
Directed by Davide Chiazzese

Short
Serendipity by Sofia
8 min | [CC]
Sofia is a very creative woman who likes to sit on the bench during her lunch breaks and imagine stories of those who pass by her. One day, a flirtatious conversation becomes something deeper and leads to a brutal twist she does not see coming. This a delightful film about all the beauty to be found in spaces between us.
Directed by Audrey Sangla

Short
The Power of Goodbye
23 min | [CC]
When Christiane learns that her daughter Margot, suffering from Charcot's disease, wishes to take her own life, she is faced with a challenge to her maternal love.
Directed by Audrey Sangla

Short
Contours
12 min | [CC]
Upon using a modern art museum as the setting for a role-playing game that goes hopelessly awry, a couple desperate to rekindle their spark finds the reconnection they seek in their shared experience over an abstract sculpture.
Directed by Aisha Amin

Short
Beyond Silence
18 min | [CC]
Two women, two generations, one shared trauma. One has been silent for over thirty years, the other for 'only' a year and a half. Where one retreats further into silence after a confrontation, the other finds the courage to break it.
Directed by Marnie Blok

Short
Glass Cage
12 min | [CC]
A deaf woman battles an internal force gnawing at her will to live, in a haunting cinematic mood piece that explores isolation and resilience.
Directed by Jules Dameron

Feature
Alfredo Corrado
90 min | [CC]
This unique documentary on Alfredo Corrado recounts the creation of International Visual Theater (IVT) and the adventures of the first deaf theater in France at the Château de Vincennes, which changed the history of deaf people in France.
Directed by Julien Bourges

Feature
Memory Flows in the Living hands
60 min | [CC]
Seven Deaf elders in Taiwan share powerful life stories, from childhood under Japanese rule to modern times, revealing how Bernard Bragg's artistry shaped the spirit of Taiwan Sign Language.
Directed by Fanghuai Ku
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Feature
Unmasking Deaf Education
55 min | [CC]
A revealing documentary that uncovers the hidden history, resistance, and ideological battle over American Sign Language in Deaf Education.
Directed by Carey M. Ballard

Feature
OkThanksBye
90 min | [CC}
An adventurous coming-of-age drama about two young deaf girls who go on an unforgettable road trip together where they not only get to know each other better, but also themselves.
Directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk

Feature
The Way We Talk
130 min | [CC]
Wolf, born into a Deaf family, embraces sign language with confidence despite obstacles in life; Sophie, having a cochlear implant at a young age, continuously strives to be seen as "normal," despite struggling with oral language. Alan, with a cochlear implant like Sophie, is capable of both oral and sign language; he advocates for diverse modes of communication within the deaf community. Bound by love and friendship, the three embark on a self-discovering journey with their own moments of pain.
Directed by Adam Wong
AFTERPARTY AT
THE SUNSET ROOM
310 E 3RD ST, AUSTIN, TX 78701 | 8:30 PM to 1:00 AM

What to expect:
Entertainment by Harold Foxx with MC, Renca Dunn.
There will be appetizers, desserts, and alcoholic beverages included in your ticket.
Come try our themed cocktail: The Paparazzie!
8:30 pm
Social & Hors d'Oeuvres
9:00 pm
Awards Announcement
9:30 pm
The Harold Foxx Show
10:00 pm
21+ Only
12:30 pm
Last Call for Alcohol
1:00 am
Closing
THE INSTITUTE

About The Institute:
At the heart of the Deaf Film Festival is The Institute, a collective of Deaf filmmakers, artists, storytellers, and supporters who serve as the festival’s screening committee and judging body. The name “Institute” is inspired by the Deaf school sign, a gesture recognized across the world as a symbol of community, learning, and growth. We aim to carry that same meaning into the world of film, cultivating a space where Deaf creativity, mentorship, and collaboration thrive.
Our institute members consist of directors, editors, writers, actors, or producers– each contributing their unique expertise to support and advance Deaf cinema. In keeping with our commitment to growth and inclusion, filmmakers who have actively contributed to the festival are invited to join The Institute, ensuring that every new generation of filmmakers helps shape the next. Through this evolving circle of artists, The Institute stands as both a celebration of Deaf achievement and a foundation for the future of Deaf storytelling.
OUR TEAM

MJ Kiego
Founder & Festival Director

Adam Membrey
Programmer

Jojo Savea
Marketing Director
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Toj Mora
Technical Director

Deidra Pelletier
Events Coordinator

Kristin Williams
Volunteer Coordinator

OUR GRATITUDE
Thank you to the City of Austin for awarding the Elevate grant to the Deaf Film Festival!
SPECIAL THANKS TO
OUR SPONSORS
Without our sponsors, the Deaf Film Festival would not have been possible.
Executive Producer

rogervoice

Serverdev

Texas School for the Deaf
Producer

Dovetail Communication Group

H-E-B
Co-Producer

SAGIndie
Associate Producer

Inka's Screen Printing

Lensrentals

ZVRS & Purple Communications
Many thanks to the following:

Tito's Handmade Vodka

Writerduet

Amy's Ice Creams
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW
Thank you for being part of the second annual Deaf Film Festival! We are so grateful to our sponsors, the creatives who submitted their incredible films, our judges, and everyone who helped us work toward the success of this event.