"Gay & Deaf: Since the First Day We Met" - by Saul Singleton, 17, U.S.

"I wanted to create a fictionalized version of my experiences in both deaf and gay cultures," says Saul Singleton, 17, a senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. Says Saul, "My short film tells the story of deaf teen Max attending a new high school. He makes a new friend, teaches him Sign Language, and the two get close through that process." "I got into filmmaking because I believe we need to capitalize on how we have the ability to tell more diverse stories through cinema. When I grow up, I want to go into cinematography / directing, with a focus on telling indie narrative drama films about members of the LGBTQ+ community." HeathCliff's take: A unique perspective, and done with sensitivity and immediacy, about someone facing two obstacles regarding society acceptance, and having the inner fortitude at so young an age to stand tall in his truth.