Film Festival Basics: Awards Are Nice, Awareness Is Gold

By Robert Cochrane, PhD

Submitting a film to festivals can feel like tossing a message in a bottle into the ocean—hoping the right person finds it, reads it, and shares it with others. But if you’re an independent filmmaker, festivals are still a powerful platform to gain visibility, build credibility, and start conversations around your work.

That’s exactly what we’re doing with What I Didn’t Say, a deeply personal and timely project exploring the complexities of living with Parkinson’s disease—told through a blend of vulnerability, wit, and storytelling. Based on the award-winning play by Matthew Moore, MFA, What I Didn’t Say was recently adapted into a short film and has also been developed into a feature-length screenplay by Matthew and me as part of the Cinema Therapy program by the nonprofit Yes, And…eXercise!.

We’re proud to share that the short film version of What I Didn’t Say just won its first honor: an Award of Merit Special Mention for Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising from the Best Shorts Competition. This award means a lot to us—it’s a recognition of both the storytelling and the social relevance of the project.

But as we often say: awards are nice, awareness is gold.

That’s why we’re submitting What I Didn’t Say to film festivals around the world—both the 12-minute short film adaptation and the full-length screenplay. We want to connect with audiences, producers, programmers, and advocates who see the value in stories that humanize underrepresented communities, including those living with chronic illness.

Here’s the trailer for the short film, now on the festival circuit:

So what do festivals do, really? At their best, they serve as both a launchpad and a landing place. A strong festival run can:

• Build buzz and credibility for a film

• Connect us with distributors, agents, and collaborators

• Provide a platform to reach new audiences

• Help advocate for social issues through the power of storytelling

In our case, What I Didn’t Say is not just a film—it’s part of a larger mission to rebrand Parkinson’s disease through creative storytelling and Cinema Therapy. By submitting the film and screenplay in festivals, we hope to raise awareness, shift public perception, and attract the right partners to help bring the feature film to life.

If you’re a programmer, producer, or advocate looking for stories that matter, we invite you to follow the journey of What I Didn’t Say. If you’re a fan of independent cinema and want to help us get the word out, please share the trailer, talk about the project, and watch for future screenings.

The awards are a great boost. But the real prize? Getting this story into the hearts and minds of those who need it most.

For interviews with Matthew, Robert and our newest cast member, Jimmy Choi(!), please visit our site.