Created by Doug Roland in partnership with the Helen Keller National Center, “The Feeling Through Experience” is a 3-part, fully accessible screening of including the film Feeling Through, a supporting documentary and panel discussion with the DeafBlind community. 

PART 1: “Feeling Through” – shown as part of the Film Festival screenings on November 8^th at 4 pm - A coming of age film about the unlikely connection between a teen in need and a DeafBlind man. It is the first film ever to feature a DeafBlind actor in a lead role.

PART 2: The Feeling Through Experience: (seminar to follow the festival film)

 A: Connecting the Dots - (24 minutes)

A documentary following the journey of making Feeling Through and the search for the DeafBlind man who inspired it.

 B: Engaging the Community - (45 minutes)

An integral part of The Feeling Through Experience is bringing the DeafBlind community and other communities together to discuss the films’ various themes as well as topics related to the DeafBlind community. This portion of the event includes a panel discussion and Q&A with:

                 - Doug Roland (film’s creator)

                 - Robert Tarango (DeafBlind actor)

                 - Local members/organizations from the DeafBlind community

Through a story about the power of human connection, The Feeling Through Experience promotes DeafBlind awareness and authentic DeafBlind representation in media. The Feeling Through Experience is a 90 minute, 3-part screening event made in partnership with the Helen Keller National Center to entertain, inform, and connect.

BIO:

Doug is a filmmaker with a passion for telling stories about individuals and communities overlooked and underrepresented. Doug's award-winning film Feeling Through (made in partnership with Helen Keller Service) marks the first time ever a DeafBlind actor has starred in a film. It traveled the country as part of The Feeling Through Experience, a fully accessible screening event for moviegoers of any level of vision and/or hearing loss. Since the pandemic, Doug has held accessible live streams of The Feeling Through Experience for thousands of viewers.

Doug's short film Jada played in over 2 dozen festivals around the world before becoming a viral sensation with over 22 million views on YouTube, garnering thousands of comments and emails from viewers around the world deeply moved and inspired by it. Doug produced the feature film “Life Hack” which racked up 16 awards on the festival circuit (including Best Independent Feature at the Cleveland International Film Festival), and he directed a segment for the feature film Prism. He studied film at the University of Wisconsin Madison and FAMU in Prague.