Parallel drives for victory and acceptance underscore the intersecting journeys of three U.S. triathletes training to compete in the Special Olympics World Games. Trent Hampton, Melanie Holmes, and Chris Wines grapple with the bias[es] and misconceptions hurled at them daily, which only enhances their will to succeed at the Games. Buoyed by support from their families and coaches, the trio jets off to the United Arab Emirates in search of glory, community, and the prospect of reshaping harmful ideologies about disability communities at home and beyond.

Sure to be a crowd pleaser, All You Hear is Noise endears audiences while rejecting the tropes and shortcuts that typically characterize portrayals of intellectual disability in the media. The hurdles faced by these three athletes—both on and off the field—urge the audience to confront the limitations imposed on them by low expectations and the status quo.

Ned Castle and Matt Day