Film is First to Star People with Disabilities, Representing Five Primary Senses
The 46th Annual Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival announced that the independent feature film “Making Sense” will be virtually screened beginning on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. EST and continuing until February 15. The film is the first to feature five people with disabilities who each lack one of the primary senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell).
“Making Sense” is the story of an aging neuroscientist, who teams up with a group of young graduate students to prove his hypothesis that individuals with disabilities hold the key to unlocking a sixth sense, before his past catches up with him.
The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival is the longest-running genre film festival in America and is back for its 46th year in a virtual environment with online screenings. This year’s lineup includes 100 films over five days, culminating in one massive 24-hour binge-fest. Tickets for individual screenings of “Making Sense” are $10 and available here with a free preview.
“We’ve created something fun and entertaining that helps turn the disability equation on its head. Instead of focusing on disability, the film exemplifies the unique abilities our diverse cast brings to the table,” said Gregory Bayne, the film’s director, producer and co-writer. “It was an opportunity to step out of my usual wheelhouse and pay homage to some of the films of my youth – Tron,’ ‘WarGames’, ‘Back to The Future’ – in a fresh and interesting way.”
The cast features Richard Klautsch and Jessi Melton in lead roles. Klautsch, who plays Dr. Fredrik Amberger, is a veteran stage actor, having acted for 21 seasons at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Melton starred in several short, independent films before landing the role of Jules in an open audition that drew over a hundred actors.
Five acting newcomers play supporting roles, representing the five physical senses. Mike Barnett (Sight), Taylor Gonzalez (hearing), Miguel Ayala (taste), Makenzie Ellsworth (touch), and Nyk Fry (smell) were cast after open auditions were held.
Bayne’s previous work spans features, shorts, documentaries, and digital series. In 2019, Bayne released the independent feature “6 Dynamic Laws for Success (In Life, Love & Money)” available on Amazon Prime. “Making Sense” was co-written and executive produced by Doug Cole, an advocate for inclusion for those with disabilities and co-founder of the charity IncludeAbility Inc.
“Making Sense” bucks the trend of disability being underrepresented in films. Only 2.7 percent of characters in the 100 highest-earning movies of 2016 were depicted with a disability, despite 20 percent of the U.S. reporting a disability, according to a study by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2017.
For more information on the film, visit www.makingsense-film.com
