STORY
Amanda is hard of hearing. She dreams of being in the military as her father did before her. When she applies, she meets Ben, who works at the recruitment office. Ben has recently lost his hearing while serving a tour of duty with the military in the Middle East. They connect and begin a relationship.
Ben learns sign language and helps Amanda with her grueling training regiment. While he wants Amanda to succeed, he knows the dangers of serving. Frustrated by her uncompromising life goals, Ben challenges Amanda to open up emotionally.
Longhand is a story about balancing the physical and emotional challenges in life. Amanda and Ben test their love and discover a new level of intimacy through sign language. Still, despite their connection, they struggle with miscommunication and
the folly of turning your back on the person you love most to avoid
getting hurt.
The film examines how we compensate for our perceived weaknesses and
seek new ways to hide our true feelings – strategies which only serve to
destroy our chances of being accepted and loved.
AMANDA RICHER (ACTOR)
![]()
In 2003 Amanda Richer was chosen to play the
principle role of Kendra in the groundbreaking kids show Deafplanet.com, which
aired on TVO. For those two years Amanda got to travel and make appearances.
Deafplanet.com was nominated for 2 Gemini Awards. For those two years Amanda
was introduced to the many varied facets of television production. Amanda
directed a documentary 'Marianne Matters' where she won 'Best Canadian
Filmmaker' of 2011 at the Toronto International Film and Arts Festival. . She starred along side John McGinty in a deaf short film ‘Closed Caption’
which has been a festival selection all around the world. Amanda hopes to
continue to do what she loves, which is acting and making movies.
JESSE LAVERCOMBE (ACTOR)
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Jesse LaVercombe is a Toronto-based actor, writer and composer
from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has
performed professionally across Canada and in Minneapolis, New Orleans, New
York City, and recently on an American tour with the Caravan Stage Company.
This year he will star in Eric Shields new play
Mistatim as it tours Canada with Red Sky Performance, and he will
play Dionysus at The Marigny Opera House in New Orleans. His first solo-show,
Preacher Man, played in Montreal,
Fredericton, Vancouver, Toronto, and New York City where it won
Best Short Solo at the United Solo
Festival and was subsequently published. He was also the composer for
The Life of Jude, Alex Poch-Goldin’s critically
acclaimed play/musical in SummerWorks 2013, which will be published in March
2016. Jesse is a graduate of The National Theatre School of Canada.
JOHN MARCUCCI (WRITER, DIRECTOR)
![]()
While studying cinema at the University of Toronto, John had the pleasure of being tutored by Canadian writer-filmmakers Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park) and Semi Chellas (“Mad Men”). He is an alumni of Vancouver Film School's Writing for Film and Television program and most recently he graduated from the Canadian Film Centre's Writer's Lab in 2013. His speciality is in writing psychological dramas that question the legitimacy of boundaries, conventions and taboos. He currently has two short films in post-production and in between moving heavy furniture he acts as well. And as much as it would be fun to do in real life, he only refers to himself in the third person when writing a bio.
Where your money is going?
We want to raise $3,000. Funds will be allocated between various production departments in terms of hiring, equipment costs, and rentals.
Remaining funds will go towards picture editing, sound design, and distribution (Festivals).
Our goal is to submit to a wide variety of Film Festivals all around the world. Deaf and hearing.
