“Wired Differently” premieres Sunday at Pasadena International Film Festival

"Wired Differently" directed by Brian Elerding premieres Sunday June 26 at 2pm at the Pasadena International Film Festival

PHOTO: Still from "Wired Differently" | South Pasadena News | Arlene Tom in the film "Wired Differently"
Director Brian Elerding of Lineage Performing Arts Center and Ensemble Shakespeare premieres his new documentary “Wired Differently” on Sunday June 26 at 2pm at the Pasadena International Film Festival.
PHOTO: Still from “Wired Differently” | South Pasadena News | The cast of “Wired Differently”
“Wired Differently” is about a group of theater artists with neuroatypicalities like Parkinson’s, MS, TBI and stroke, who set out to make a film during the pandemic about their journeys with their diagnoses. The actors devised the entire production, from the telling of their stories, to their theatricalizations of their stories that are funny, heart wrenching, inspiring, and beautiful. The artists are all part of an acting class at the Lineage Performing Arts Center, produced by the Ensemble Shakespeare Theater Company and Lineage.
PHOTO: Still from “Wired Differently” | South Pasadena News | Denise Follingstad in “Wired Differently”
“These theater artists, who actually come from as many different career backgrounds as there are members of the group, have taught me as much or more than I’ve taught them over the course of these classes”, says director Elerding. “We set out to make this little movie over the course of COVID, but it became quickly apparent that this wasn’t just another little side project–it was something really special.”
He goes on to tell us, “I’m usually disappointed when disability stories are told by folks who don’t have personal experience with the subject, so I was really excited that this group of neuroatypical artists were eager to share their own stories, and develop this project collectively. The result is a film that honestly covers the challenges of things like Parkinson’s or stroke, but with clear eyed-hope instead of exploitative manipulation.”

 

PHOTO: Still from “Wired Differently” | South Pasadena News | Lars and Arlene in “Wired Differently”
Featuring Barry Baumann, Amy Carlson, Naomi Estolas, Denise Follingstad, Weldon Garrett, Linda Kessel, Clara Kluge, Wendy Lang, Arlene Tom, Nancy Ware, and directed by Brian Elerding. The free acting class is taught twice weekly at Lineage in Pasadena by the film’s director, Brian Elerding.
“It means a lot to us to be able to premiere this special film in our hometown of Pasadena at the Pasadena International Film Festival,” says Elerding. “If folks come to see it, they’ll get to meet the actors and crew!”
“Wired Differently” will screen Sunday at 2pm in Block 15 of the Pasadena International Film Festival at Laemmle Playhouse 7. The direct link for tickets is: https://www.laemmle.com/film/piff-block-15
PHOTO: Still from “Wired Differently” | South Pasadena News | Arlene Tom in “Wired Differently”
PHOTO: Still from “Wired Differently” | South Pasadena News | The cast of “Wired Differently”