WACO, TX — The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is taking place and 25 News is proud to announce our very own storyteller Thomas Kwiat is participating.
The film challenge is a weekend-long film-making contest, open to all, that provides a platform for new voices in the entertainment industry.
Each year, aspiring storytellers are prompted to creatively write, produce and complete a short film.
This year, the challenge was to write, shoot, edit and produce a 5-Minute short documentary, telling your story as a disabled content creator. Storytellers had 5 days to produce their film from home while practicing social distancing.
The documentary “We are Live” tells the story of Thomas Kwiat growing up with cerebral palsy, how he came up with an idea for a web series, how COVID-19 helped him change his platform and open it up to musicians all over the world, and helping him discover the equal playing field he had been looking for.
Challenge winners receive invaluable access to entertainment professionals, opening the door to an industry notoriously difficult to enter, according to their website.
The film challenge was even more significant this year as it falls on the 30th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act, which is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.
“2020 was my 3rd year participating, coming in I was excited to do something in Central Texas, but when COVID struck I was concerned that the shootout would be canceled but they took some time, re-imagined the format, and we got it underway July 14th," said Kwiat. "Its really a unique opportunity to share my story while helping promote a greater cause, like the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. “
The Awareness Campaign will be happening from July 25th- August 2nd.
Be sure to check out Kwiat's documentary "We are Live," here.
