Unteachable

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Imagine you can’t read this. Imagine the only way you can tell if a book is right side up is by the pictures. Imagine believing it is all your fault and you are afraid to tell anyone. You become a troublemaker. You are expelled over and over. You reach fifth grade but you have yet to read a two syllable word. You can’t spell your name. You are unteachable.

Now imagine a teacher who changes everything.

In the buildings of an abandoned military base near his home on Cape Cod, Daniel enters Mrs. Gott’s fifth-grade classroom. She is kind and gentle and allows Daniel to work at his own pace, and it becomes clear that Daniel’s struggle is not his fault. Slowly, Daniel’s shame and anxiety diminish and he begins to learn. And learns he is good at it.

Unteachable is the true story about the moment Daniel’s life changes.

Now, forty years after entering Mrs. Gott’s classroom, Daniel is a distinguished educator. He graduated from Nauset Regional High School in Eastham, MA as class President, attended Harvard University and earned his PhD from UCLA. He has never told anyone he was crippled with dyslexia until this film.

Film Details

Director: Anthony Sherin

Writer: Genevieve Mathis and Daniel Franklin

Year of Release: 2017

Running Time: 11 minutes 8 seconds

New England Connection: Dr. Daniel Franklin and filmmaker Anthony Sherin first met as young boys playing on the beaches of Cape Cod and graduated together from Boston University.

Director(s) Bio:: Anthony is an award-winning filmmaker whose short film, SOLO, PIANO – NYC, was selected as one of the outstanding photo projects of today by Look3 Festival of the Photograph 2013, and was featured in the New York Times’ Op-Docs Series. In 2016 Rooftop Films selected SOLO, PIANO for its screening of the best of 20 years of New York nonfiction. His documentary UNTEACHABLE is currently screening at film festivals.

His feature documentary, ORIGINAL INTENT: The Battle for America, aired on PBS in 2009. DUÆL: Lee + Man, a collaboration with artist Tabitha Vevers, premiered at the Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, NJ in 2014 and is opening at the Fitchburg Art Museum, MA in 2017.

Anthony is also an accomplished film editor whose credits include ONE YEAR LEASE, best short documentary Tribeca Film Festival 2014, and official selection at Sundance Film Festival 2015. His feature film credits include THE CURE (Universal), A SOLDIER’S SWEETHEART (Paramount/Showtime), and FIRST TIME FELON (HBO).

Number of shooting days: 4

Camera Used: Panasonic GH4 and super 8mm

Editing software: Final Cut Pro X

Financed by: Self-financed

For more information: http://unteachable.info/about/