New zombie movie follows young filmmakers with Down syndrome

Daily News Lesson

June 9, 2021, 12:01 p.m.

New zombie movie follows young filmmakers with Down syndrome

Summary

As teenagers with Down syndrome, Sam Suchmann and Mattie Zufelt used Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, to fund their dream of creating a zombie movie. Their latest work,"Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie," takes a look at that journey and the creativity, determination, resourcefulness, and friendship they picked up along the way.

Five Facts

What is Sam and Mattie’s movie about?

Why did Sam and Mattie make the movie?

When and Where did Sam and Mattie film their movie?

Who were some of Sam and Mattie’s biggest supporters?

How did Sam and Mattie get the idea for this movie? How do Sam and Mattie’s different personalities complement each other?

Focus Questions

Sam’s older brother, Jesse, says that Sam and Mattie’s “unwillingness to compromise” gave the whole team the confidence to move forward with the movie project. Compromise, however, is usually considered a good thing. How might an unwillingness to compromise also be a positive trait? At the beginning of the interview, Sam says, “I feel like I never fit in anywhere or had a voice.” What are his unique challenges, and how did he face those challenges as he made the movie? How can we make sure the people around us feel seen and heard?

- Disability is often ignored and not talked about. How might this do harm to disabled people? What are some ways we can include people who are disabled in our conversations and awareness?

Media literacy: Sam and Mattie's condition, Down syndrome, is mentioned only once each in the article title and summary. In the interview, there is very little focus on this aspect of their identities. Why might producers have chosen not to focus on the fact that Sam and Mattie have Down syndrome?