Summer and sex are here for Chrissy Marshall and her new Easterseals Disability Film Challenge winning short, Rain in my Head. Marshall’s work as a writer/director features two deaf queer lovers, Sarah and Marie, who wander through the quandaries of connection and fulfillment. At the start, Sarah, smoking in the arms of her lover, poses the question: “Do you ever get tired of seeing the glass half full?” Marie answers: “No. We’ve struggled enough. It’s time to be happy.” After the exchange, the film joyfully ambles through a portrait of their lives, holding true to the promise of happiness that Marie speaks of. After all, queer love receiving a happy ending is no small thing. For Rain in my Head, it is the happiness being the end destination that makes it work so well.
In addition to the upbeat ending, the gorgeous movement of the camera and lighting draws us in. It is very apparent that Marshall has homed in on a directing style that is clear and effective. Her film drew accolades from the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge for that as well.
Marshall wrote, directed and produced this short film, which won Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Film during the 2023 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Currently, she is participating in the RespectAbility Entertainment Lab, L.A. Cohort.
“Disability is not a monolith, and as someone who struggles to access language as a deaf person growing up, it’s an honor to tell stories about the nuances of language,” Marshall said in an interview with RespectAbility.
Overall, Marshall’s work is something to behold. Her take on life cuts right through the heart and into something deeper than a muscle. Maybe the soul? Or per Marshall’s short film—the void?
