The College of the Canyons American Sign Language (ASL) Department will host the 2nd TSWY International Film Festival on Saturday, Nov. 3 in association with KMB Entertainment.

The festival promotes and encourages teamwork between deaf and hearing filmmakers. Created from the main concept of The Strength Within You (TSWY) film series, the festival provides a venue for filmmakers to show their work and highlights how collaboration between deaf and hearing crew and cast can bring respect and education to new filmmakers from all over the world toward the deaf community.

Selected films include: “Oh Sugar!,” “Eye of the Beholder,” “Telltale Signs,” “White Noise,” “Tempo,” “Awkward Silence,” “Greta My Love,” “Relationshit,” and “Hedy & Heidi: The Lost Sister.”

The festival will open with “A Conversation with the Filmmakers” session at 2:00 p.m., followed by two 90-minute showcase screenings of shorts and feature films selected by the festival’s directors. Ending the evening will be a selection of award-winning films, including:

“This is Ed!!”

“Sign – A Silent Film”

“Wild Prairie Rose”

“Deafening Darkness”

KMB Entertainment will premier its new short “Talk to the Hands – A Prologue,” which highlights the differences between deaf and hearing cultures. It sets up the characters and story that will be developed in a feature-length version scheduled for release in 2019.

The event will be video-hosted by actor/director/ASL performer; Tyrone Oraguzie, who recently toured with singers Prince Charlez and Ayanis. The ASL Department and Club will provide sign language interpretation and access to and from ASL signers at the event.

“A Conversation with the Filmmakers” will be attended by:

Katia Belas – Brazilian filmmaker and creator of “The Strength Within You” film series

Deborah LaVine – Award-winning director and producer of “Wild Prairie Rose”

Troy Kotsur – Actor in “Wild Prairie Rose”

Lisa Stoll – Award-winning cinematographer of “The Strength Within You: DUI”

Victoria Soo Lum – Lead actress in “Deafening Darkness”

Phillip Brown II – Director of “Eye of the Beholder”

Justin Callaway – Cinematographer of “Eye of the Beholder”

Manuel Montanez – Director of “Awkward Silence”

The festival will be held in the college’s Hasley Hall Theater (Room 101) from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with an after-party to follow.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

For more information regarding the festival, selected films and directors biographies, please visit the film festival’s website.