As We Are

Original event logo, designed in a prism shape of red, orange and blue hues, reading “In The Light, A Celebration of Acceptance”

In May 2017, The Musical Autist collaborated with Anne Arundel County Public School’s Performing Visual Arts program to put on a huge fundraising concert event at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. This event was called, In The Light, based on Jordan Smith’s original song, Stand in the Light, which was performed as the concert’s finale. This piece was custom arranged for full orchestra and choir, specifically for this event. We had over 200 performers on stage, side by side, with and without disabilities, high schoolers and community musicians, all in a united effort to lift up, respect and promote the voices of autistic musicians, both locally and around the world. Singing together the poignant lyrics:

“This is who I am inside
This is who I am, I’m not going to hide
‘Cause the greatest risk we’ll ever take is by far
To stand in the light and be seen as we are”

One of members of our organization, Evan Bertrand, performed in this concert and was followed by a documentarian throughout the rehearsal process and on the performance night. This documentary is now being premiered in film festivals and was named, As We Are.

Evan and his mother are the main characters in the story, but for those of you interested in watching the documentary, you’ll see many others from TMA in the film as well, including our co-founders, Sunny (who performed her rendition of Cindy Lauper’s, True Colors) and CJ, as well as incredible solo performances from Caroline Davis (who sang Stand In The Light), Will Swartz and Logan Kangas (who performed with faculty and students from the jazz department at AACC), Will Koger, Tyler Shallue and many others.

Here is information on where the film is being premiered this coming weekend.

NOVA FEST (Northern Virginia International Film Festival) This festival can be viewed remotely until April 18. It can be viewed in all of the United States at any time. For tickets: https://festival.filmocracy.com/fame/

Annapolis Film Festival! Our home turf. This festival is also virtual online but ONLY can be viewed in Maryland or DC areas. AS WE ARE goes up on view April 16 though April 18! For tickets: https://annapolisfilmfestival.eventive.org/welcome

Also please note: some of our EAM Content Writers will be publishing their reviews of this film. If you are an autistic musician and you watch the film, we’d love to hear from you. We would also be interested in publishing your review.

You can continue to get details and updates on future film festival premiers at aswearemovie.com

When words fail, try music!