ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
After losing her hearing as a child, a young woman navigates a lifetime of silence, trauma, and transformation, guided by her unbreakable bond with horses, on a path to reclaiming her power, her voice, and her purpose in the world.

SYNOPSIS
This project explores the intersection of trauma, disability, and healing through the real life of Koelle Simpson, a deaf woman navigating cycles of familial abuse, systemic neglect, and personal transformation. Inspired by true events and grounded in contemporary issues, the films address urgent and underrepresented social themes, including the lived experience of disability, the impact of childhood trauma, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Set across the American West, the story spans rural landscapes and intimate emotional terrain, offering a culturally nuanced portrait of survival. After losing her hearing due to illness in childhood, Koelle grows up in a home that refuses to acknowledge her emotional and sensory needs. Her family’s dysfunction and her eventual placement on a farm with an abusive stepfather reflect broader social issues: the invisibility of children with disabilities, the failures of familial and institutional support systems, and the ways in which trauma often goes unrecognized, especially among girls and women.

As Koelle’s journey unfolds, the trilogy examines how trauma is stored in the body and how recovery is possible through relationships that offer safety, attunement, and mutual respect. Her connection to animals, particularly horses, becomes a metaphor for her path to healing. This narrative device highlights the emerging field of equine-assisted therapy and its unique ability to help trauma survivors rebuild trust and reconnect with their emotions. Horses, in these films, are more than companions…they are witnesses, co-healers, and silent truth-tellers.

A critical turning point in the story comes when Koelle seeks support from Jerry, a disabled therapist. Their alliance challenges pervasive stereotypes about both clients and practitioners with disabilities, emphasizing the value of lived experience in therapeutic relationships. By presenting disability not as a limitation but as a source of insight and empathy, the film contributes to a broader cultural conversation about inclusion and representation.

The trilogy further confronts systemic abuse and gender-based violence, particularly in mentor-mentee relationships and rural power dynamics. Koelle’s encounter with a manipulative horse trainer underscore how even spaces of healing can become arenas of control. Her ultimate escape and movement toward autonomy reveal the strength it takes to leave, rebuild, and reclaim one’s voice.

With themes of trauma, recovery, disability empowerment, and the wisdom of the natural world, this project asks vital questions: How does being unheard impact one’s ability to heal from trauma? How do we support trauma survivors in reclaiming their agency? How can we create a culture that truly listens…to silence, to suffering, and to the language of resilience?

PROJECT TYPE Narrative Feature

DIRECTOR Erahm Christopher
SCREENWRITER Erahm Christopher
PRODUCER Brooke Dooley, Erahm Christopher
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Koelle Simpson

ID: 740