The Making of the Next Eye-Opening Film
Last September, something big happened!
Fifteen months after Dr. Elaine Aron announced her “big project”, she presented the world with a movie that would change the lives of many. Up until the release of Sensitive – The Untold Story, sensitives around the world were coming together, forming support groups and communities, letting each other know they weren’t alone, and trying, each in their own way, to shed light on what it means to be highly sensitive. There have been blogs, news articles, books and podcasts all of which have contributed to the increasing popularity of the topic, something many of us couldn’t even imagine might ever happen just a couple of years ago.
And then, on September 10, 2015 there was a movie! This character trait we’d been talking about for so long, while struggling to explain to others what it meant when we ourselves didn’t quite understand, was on the big screen!
Now, say what you will about the power of movies versus books, but having someone watch a documentary about a trait you desperately need them to understand is probably more doable than having them read a 350 page book. Presenting a friend, relative, teacher or caregiver with something that is so visually appealing will more likely guarantee you get your message through. Nothing will ever replace books as a source of information, but as the director of Sensitive – The Untold Story, Will Harper, said during his visit to Singapore, the movie will drive more people to read the book they need to read. The movie is a catalyst, helping to speed up the reaction we desperately want, leading to changes we desperately need.
When Diana Harper, the producer of the documentary, contacted me in October, asking me if I would be interested in being in the “next film”, I had to read the message a few times before it sank in. There were two aspects of this news that were thrilling to me: one, that there would be a sequel dedicated to highly sensitive children and two, that we were going to be in it.
Diana and Will Harper (producer and director of Sensitive – The Untold Story) in Singapore
I remember when that first movie was in the making, a significant number of people, including myself, were already asking for a movie that would focus on raising and caring for a highly sensitive child. After all, it’s with our children that it all begins. It is at that point that we can do things right and prevent problems they might otherwise have to live with for the rest of their lives. It is schools with impossible standards and teachers who are quick to judge that we need to convince. It is friends and family who point fingers and give unsolicited parenting advice we need to bring to our side. As adults, we can fend for ourselves; we’ve had time to live with and understand our sensitivities (to a certain extent, anyway). Our children however are still trying to figure out why they seem to stand out from the crowd, why they can’t seem to enjoy things all their friends do, and why no one else seems to find this world so overwhelming. It is our job as parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, to help them understand themselves better, and to try and make this world a more accepting place. And what better way to do that than with the help of a catalyst, a documentary featuring parents with real stories about their sensitive children, a tool that can convey a strong and important message in sixty minutes.
This is a good time for sensitives. It wasn’t long ago that my husband and I were completely alone and hopeless, wondering what we were dealing with and whether or not there was anyone else out there going through the same thing. And today, we are part of a nice big, supportive community of people in the same boat, in a world that is a little more understanding and little more open.
And after the release of the sequel, who knows where we might stand. But we can already feel the changes the first first film has led to. We can hear the message louder now. We know more highly sensitive people now. We hear more stories told candidly with less shame now. After having the pleasure and honor of getting to know Will and Diana Harper, the talented, ambitious and passionate filmmakers and beautiful people behind this change, I know that a project of such importance couldn’t possibly be in better hands.
Luca and Will: The beginning of a great project!
All I can say at this point, now that my wishes for a documentary about highly sensitive children are coming true, is that I have high hopes for the impact ‘Sensitive The Movie’ will have on the world our children grow up in, the schools they go to, and the people in their lives.
Does the release of this next movie mean schools all around the world will finally acknowledge the fact that some kids just function better in different settings? Does it mean highly sensitive children will no longer be misunderstood and treated unfairly? Will this movie put a stop to unrealistic expectations from parents and relatives who push their kids to be like everyone else?
I can’t say for sure, but I certainly can’t wait to find out!
Sensitive The Sequel: The Making of the Next Eye-Opening Film
The film makers are calling for submissions of stories from parents of highly sensitive children! Here is the announcement from their latest blog post on Sensitive The Movie:
We are currently on the search for more families with inspiring stories about raising a Highly Sensitive Child, the obstacles they had to deal with, and what they might have done (or wanted to do but couldn’t). If you have a story you’d like to share with us, and would like a chance to be featured in the film, please email it to us in 500 words or less at info@sensitivethemovie.com with the subject line MY STORY.
To read more about the sequel that is currently in the making, and about Will and Diana Harper’s visit to Singapore, click here.
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