News / Film
Uni filmmakers challenge industry barriers with new accessible film
A group of filmmaking students from UWE Bristol are using their latest short film to challenge how films are made, shared and experienced, while championing Deaf and hard-of-hearing representation on screen.
The film, What I Meant to Say, was created by soon-to-graduate students Jarred Sullivan and Maddy Jeffs and explores themes of communication, identity and belonging through the story of a Deaf teenager reconnecting with his hearing birth mother.
Developed in collaboration with Deaf individuals and British Sign Language consultants, the project prioritises visual storytelling and accessibility.
Beyond the film itself, the students have helped drive wider change at UWE Bristol.
The story follows Aaron, a shy, Deaf 16-year-old adopted into a Deaf family, which is played by Deaf actor Ellis Kavanagh. His hearing birth-mother Marie unexpectedly reaches out; the film follows them as they spend the day together in hopes of striking up a connection.
However, communication proves far harder than imagined as they head to the seaside, where misunderstandings accumulate and Marie’s indiscretion clashes with Aaron’s over-stimulation.
Mother and son finally begin to understand each other through their emotional resonance, rather than perfect language.
Jarred said: “Filmmaking is about amplifying the voices and stories of those who are often underrepresented.
“As a queer, working-class filmmaker, I believe cinema needs fundamental change in both access and representation.
“What I Meant to Say expands the possibilities of Deaf-led, working-class storytelling by exploring how human connection can exist beyond spoken language.”
Actors Ellis Kavanagh (Aaron) and Laura Ollerton (Marie) during shooting
For the first time, all graduate films shown at the university’s Showcase will be captioned and a screening of student films will include British Sign Language interpretation, making the event more accessible to Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
The project has also sparked discussions about embedding accessibility into filmmaking education and production practices.
For Maddy, being hard-of-hearing herself has shaped the way she works as a producer: “This project was very personal and important for me as I am passionate about acknowledging unrepresented voices, and ensuring filmmaking is accessible to all.
“It was a challenge to complete: working with children, organising quick turn arounds, and overseeing a low budget and sustainable production that included a mix of hearing and Deaf individuals.”
“I believe we have made an emotional, poignant and complex piece of short cinema, that celebrates disability within the everyday.”
As one of UWE Bristol’s first productions to achieve BAFTA Albert Education Partnership Production Certification for sustainable filmmaking, the film highlights how students are combining creative ambition with social impact.
Director Jarred Sullivan leading the proceedings
Dr Charlotte Crofts, professor of cinema arts, said: “I could not be prouder of our students for the leadership they have shown through this project.
“Their commitment to rethinking accessibility – across creative practice, production processes and audience experience – has challenged us as an institution to reflect and act.
“While this has long been an area we aspired to develop further, it is their energy, insight and determination that has driven meaningful change, prompting us to embed accessibility much earlier and more fundamentally within the curriculum in future.
What I Meant to Say was created by soon-to-graduate students Jarred Sullivan and Maddy Jeffs
“This work sits within a broader ethos at UWE Bristol: empowering emerging filmmakers to reshape the industry from within, advancing both inclusion and sustainability. These students are not waiting for change – they are already creating it.”
UWE Bristol’s Showcase starts on June 4 and runs until June 10.
For more information, visit www.uwe.ac.uk/events/degree-show
All photos: Madeline Jeffs and Sheetal Chopra
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