Proud Stutter

he poster features a woman wearing headphones and speaking or singing into a microphone. She looks forward with focus. The background is turquoise. At the bottom of the poster, large white letters spell "Proud Stutter" on a bold magenta background. Blue wave lines, resembling sound or audio waves, run over the title. Below the title, in smaller white text, it reads: "A film by Karina Sturm." At the very bottom, on a red background, it says "Chronic Pain Partners Presents."

Summary:

Proud Stutter is a short film featuring Maya, who grew up with a stutter she believed she needed to overcome, embarking on a transformative journey of self-acceptance. Realizing that stuttering is simply another way of speaking, she creates a podcast to amplify the voices of those who share her experience. Through candid conversations, Maya creates a space where people who stutter can find strength, connection, and a voice.

Cast:

A close-up of a woman wearing headphones and speaking into a microphone. She has light brown, shoulder-length hair with blonde highlights. She looks forward with focus as she speaks into a black, professional studio microphone attached to a flexible arm. The background is blurred and neutral.

Maya is the founder of Proud Stutter. As a woman who stutters, she is working to shift societal norms around stuttering and lift up the voices of those with speech diversities.

https://www.proudstutter.org

Crew:

A woman with short, dark brown hair stands against a light brick wall. She is wearing a black top with a deep neckline and delicate embroidery. Around her neck, she wears a white necklace in the shape of a small starfish or coral piece. She has large gold hoop earrings and looks confidently at the camera. The background is turquoise, possibly a wall with horizontal panels.

Director, Producer, Writer: Karina Sturm is a disabled multimedia journalist from Germany who used to live in San Francisco. She has a MA in “International Journalism” from Edinburgh Napier University and writes for German and US publications about chronic illness and disability with the focus on the accurate representation of people with disabilities in the media. Karina has been working with John since 2020, when she released a documentary called We Are Visible, which features people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome across the globe. Karina herself lives with EDS and many comorbid conditions and an invisible disability. She loves dogs, the ocean and sushi.

Film Sponsor: Chronic Pain Partners/EDS Awareness

Chronic Pain Partners, a US-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, was created in 2011 to support people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. It is an online resource for the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome community, their caregivers, medical professionals, and everyone interested in learning more about the genetic connective tissue disorder. We help create independent, local EDS Support groups, host live webinars to help educate our members, caregivers and healthcare providers, and launched a program for nurses, and lately, we also produce high-quality video content and documentary films that will embrace “Nothing about us without us” and will all be produced by disabled filmmakers to ensure an accurate depiction of disability on screen! Find out more: www.chronicpainpartners.com

Music:

Original Music by Chamin: Composer and music artist Chamin began her journey as a vocalist, steadily expanding her creative horizons across various genres. From pop to traditional music, she has crafted a distinctive and boundary-pushing musical universe. As both composer and artist, Chamin’s works transcend boundaries, exploring diverse narratives through her music. Recently, she has extended her talents into film scoring, blending music with visual narratives to create new artistic experiences. Currently, she is working on a new album and composing music films, continuing her ever-evolving musical journey. Chamin is a true artist who invites listeners into his unique musical storytelling.

Basses: Marcel Siegel

Guitars

– I am: Marcus Klossek

– The secret door: Roberta Dragone

Keyboard: Chamin

Synth: Chamin

Music production: Chamin, Georg Mausolf

Music Mixed by: Young Hee Choi

Editing, Color Grading & Sound Engineering:

Space Dream Productions

A woman with short brown hair is sitting on a yellow chair with a green shirt.

Koura Linda: Founder and CEO of Space Dream Productions, Koura is an independent filmmaker with over 20 years of experience in the film industry. Under her leadership since 2016, Space Dream Productions has completed over two dozen projects across the United States, with over 200 award nominations and special mentions, and over 60 awards to date, including 19 different “Best Picture” winning and nominated projects at festivals around the world. She also works tirelessly not only to advocate for people like her who work professionally in film while living with multiple disabilities, but in creating inclusive and accessible workspaces for her team and her collaborators.

A bald woman wearing a blue shirt is smiling brightly.

Sarah M Penn: Sarah M. Penn is a filmmaker, storyteller, and disability advocate. Since graduating at the top of her class from the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2022 with a BFA in Film & TV, she has been working with Space Dream Productions. Her disability advocacy work often overlaps with her filmmaking, as her life’s goal is to make the world a more accessible and inclusive place.