Langham Creek students to showcase documentary at South by Southwest festival
Samantha Ptashkin
HOUSTON – Video production students at Langham Creek High School will have the honor of screening their documentary at the South by Southwest festival in Austin next month.
The four students, Jared DeDonato, Colin Cotara, Rodolfo Castro and Connor Slaton started working on the 5-minute documentary in October in their video production class.
“Through the Eyes of Autism” profiles the four students, who are all autistic. “It’s about seeing the world through the eyes of autistic kids,” Jared DeDonato said. “I want people to see what they see.”
Each student shares personal details about the struggles he has faced living as a teenager with autism. “They’re just incredible kids,” said their teacher, Brandy Milson, who helped them with the shooting and editing.
Recently she shared the news with her students that their film is one of 24 selected for the Texas High School Shorts Competition.
“Mind blown,” DeDonato said. “This could be big and I could be famous for the one documentary.”
“It's such an amazing opportunity for them, especially since they're seniors,” Milson said. "It gives them some options, it gives them ideas on different paths that they can go on.”
The film is also a Division 2 state semifinalist, along with three other Lobo Media films, in the UIL Young Filmmakers Festival. It is tentatively set for a screening at South by Southwest on Saturday, March 12 from 3 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. at The Marchesa Hall and Theater at 6226 Middle Fiskville Road.