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DEADLINE: What led you to create this short film?
This is all based on your personal experience as an Autistic filmmaker and aspiring actor, I imagine.
BELLA ZOE MARTINEZ:Right.
Bella Zoe Martinez in Once More, Like Rain ManBella Zoe Martinez / OMLR Movie
Im the one that wrote the film with my parents.
I wrote this film based on auditions that I had as an actress.
Id always venture to audition for normal characters.
Sue Ann Pien and Bella Zoe Martinez attend the NoHo CinefestNoHo Cinefest
It felt like they werent an actual character.
I was playing a disability, not a person.
For the character I play, Zoe, is based off of me, my brother and my sister.
So, its not technically playing myself because thats cheating.
Its kind of sad.
DEADLINE: Sue Ann, this is your directorial debut in the narrative space.
How did you end up on this project?
She was also an autism advocate onAs We See It,where I met her.
She had sent me the script, and Bella asked if I would act in it.
I took a look and saw it was a cute short film.
I loved championing this idea that we were going to create something from her perspective.
I responded, Ill act in it if you let me direct it.
So, two years later, here we are.
DEADLINE: Can you talk more about the people in front of and behind the camera?
Were they also folks who are neurodivergent or on the spectrum?
MARTINEZ:Half the cast and crew were neurodivergent, and some were even disabled.
He was such a good boy on set.
Tal [Anderson, visual effects designer] had a bit of autism as well.
I know some had ADHD and other things.
DEADLINE: Bella, how did you find your way to screenwriting?
Was this an interest youve had since you were younger?
MARTINEZ:Ive always been interested in making stories.
I often recorded stuff with my siblings when I was younger.
I know my sister got into directing when she was young.
I always liked making videos of myself alongside my toys or my dolls or with my friends.
I also draw a lot.
DEADLINE: Id like to talk about the line in the short film , Whats your superpower?
Can you talk about the tropes attached to this stereotype and why it was important to include?
But when it comes to me with my experiences being autistic, I mask a lot more.
I just outsmarted the therapist.
But masking is technically acting, so thats kind of a lot.
But when people said, You dont look autistic, you dont sound autistic.
Im like, Theres supposed to be a certain sound to that?
She loved to draw a lot but didnt know exactly how to talk to other people.
She knew what other people were saying but didnt know how to talk to them.
Why are you talking like that?
Its not just characters who can be a bit nonverbal or have sensitivity to touch.
Some are just more higher functioning.
But also, we are silly little goblins who love our hyper-fixations.
PIEN:I love what Bella said because thats so true.
Especially to me as a higher masking human.
Also, theres Lisbeth Salander.
It was huge, especially in our community.
In Chinese communities, theres a lot of shame around any throw in of differences.
I dont look into it that often because Id rather not vomit my lunch, thank you very much.
DEADLINE: What does the titleOnce More, Like Rain Man mean?
That they couldnt really think for themselves or do anything for themselves.
That wasnt true at all.
We are smart, we are funny.
Were just as human as you, we just see the world differently.
