Morpheyes presents 'Inspired' at Fringe Festival

Morpheyes Studio, part of RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, will present the New York premiere of their first short film, Inspired, at Rochester Fringe Festival at 6:40 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, at The Little Theatre, 240 East Ave., Rochester. Tickets are free and can be obtained on the Rochester Fringe Festival website, by calling 585-957-9837, or in-person on the day of the event at The Little Theatre. There is only one chance to see the show and space is limited, so be sure to get your tickets in advance. This film is recommended for ages 13 and up.

Inspired is Morpheyes Studio’s response to a long history of sensationalization, objectification, and marginalization of Disabled people in mainstream media. Inspired, which has been recognized with a jury award from Over-the-Rhine Film Festival, is a 30-minute short film about Raina, a Deaf and Disabled young woman, and her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian, as they meet for dinner to reminisce on their brief college romance.

Following the film, a panel discussion with the all-Deaf production team will discuss the unique challenges this spoken-dialogue film presented, as well as the importance of authentic representation in the media and the complexities of depicting a character who is both Deaf and Disabled, merging two identities and communities that have historically been divided.

By creating Inspired, Morpheyes Studio strives to exemplify the meaning behind the iconic Disability rights slogan: “Nothing about us without us.”

“As a Deaf/Disabled person, people do not know how to ‘handle’ me or my needs,” said the film’s writer, director, and leading actor Darian Slattery. “I have to teach everyone I meet how to engage with me because most people have never met anyone like me before. It doesn’t help that Disability representation in mainstream media–created by abled people–comes with a message of ‘Disabled people are people, too!’ We need more Disabled people telling our own stories. We already know that we’re people, just let us show you.”

Slattery is particularly proud to host the New York premiere of Inspired in Rochester: “This is the place where I found my Deaf identity. Rochester has one of the highest per capita deaf populations in the world. Where better than here?”