ABOUT THE FILM:

Born with a rare condition requiring over 50 cranial reconstructive surgeries, Corey searches for normalcy, love, and acceptance in a swipe-left, swipe-right world. The film follows Corey’s daily activities to show how his facial difference impacts his life, friendships, family relations, romantic relationships, and careers and how these experiences shape his personality and perspective. In essence, Don’t Look Away explores how his look affects his ability to live “a normal life” and challenges viewers to question who is really missing out – us or them – when we reject those who look different.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

Joseph V. Lingad is a filmmaker and video journalist with over 15 years of experience. Joseph started his career as a camera assistant on TV shows, commercials, and narrative films. He got his break in video journalism and documentaries in 2011 when The Wall Street Journal hired him as a videographer and worked with its sister companies until 2022. He is currently working on a feature documentary exploring the lives of four adults with various facial differences and how their unique looks have shaped them. He hopes to have a final cut by the end of 2025.