
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
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Idle Hands
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Deaf Capo
7:30 pm
Festival Kickoff - The Violet Crown
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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
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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
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Filmmakers 30 minutes
3:30 pm
Screening - TSD Auditorium
-
Talk 2 minutes
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Remote Strutting 12 minutes
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Echoes Between Land and Blue Sky 30 minutes
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Glass Cage 12 minutes
-
Beyond Silence 18 minutes
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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
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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
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

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.
About The Institute
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.










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