The documentary “All You Hear Is Noise” is a film of perseverance. Directed by Ned Castle and Matt Day, the film screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival earlier this month after first premiering at Tribeca in 2023. “All You Hear Is Noise” follows the journey of three U.S triathletes – Trent Hampton, Melanie Holmes, and Chris Wines – training to compete in the Special Olympics World Games. Viewers gain a glimpse into their personal lives as they train to achieve a goal few achieve.
This documentary takes the audience on an emotional ride as Trent, Melanie, and Chris face daily misconceptions and prejudices hurled at them. They use these to inspire their will to succeed. The support from their families and coaches illustrates the importance of a support system, especially when facing others who say their goal is unattainable. Throughout the film, the trio travel to the United Arab Emirates in search of community and the hopes of reshaping the stereotypes of disabled athletes.
While some sports films fall into tropes when depicting athletes with intellectual disabilities, this film stays away from that and instead portrays Trent, Chris, and Mel as human beings first. This is in part due to Associate Producer Andrew Pilkington, who is disabled himself. By including disabled individuals behind the camera, “All You Hear Is Noise” succeeds at showcasing these athletes – both in an athletic setting and back home after the games – in an authentic manner.
“‘All You Hear Is Noise’ is a great example of how people from all different backgrounds can come together and achieve something larger than themselves,” said Pilkington, who is an alumnus of the 2020 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab, in an interview with RespectAbility. “Getting a chance to know Trent, Chris, and Mel was my favorite part of this entire experience. To go from being on the world’s stage and competing at the highest levels, to then blending back into society is a testament of their humility and dedication.”
