Walking Free: The Nellie Zimmerman Story (Book Adaptation/True Story) The inspirational story of an intelligent, adventurous, blind-deaf leader in the independent living movement for persons with disabilities.
AWARDS
-Gold Award - WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival
-Quarterfinalist - Fade In
-Quarterfinalist - PAGE Awards
SYNOPSIS
NELLIE ZIMMERMAN is the youngest of two daughters. Her mother dies when she is four-years old and her father raises his girls. Nellie is totally deaf by age eight due to childhood illnesses. When her sight begins to fail in her late teens, possibly from Retinitis Pigmentosa, Nellie and her father learn how to finger spell so they can talk to each other. She learns how to read Braille before she's totally blind at age 22 and enjoys a rich and stimulating life until her father dies, just before her 30th birthday.
For 16 years Nellie is shuffled between family members because no one has learned how to communicate with her or cope with her temper tantrums caused by frustration over her isolation. With the good will of family members exhausted, Nellie spends six years in nursing homes before being committed to a mental institution. She lives in silence, hiding under a sheet for protection from abusive patients, reading her Bible, praying and playing complicated word and math games in her head until she's discovered by a deaf hospital volunteer nearly two decades later.
State officials don't believe that the 71-year old woman can live independently in the community with her double handicap. After a year long battle, JIM SCHNECK, a college student who rescues deaf/blind patients from institutions, wins her release in 1976. Nellie moves into a boarding house where she resorts to temper tantrums whenever she can’t deal with the loneliness. She faces eviction and Jim is at his wits end when a young, hearing impaired woman, EMILY STREET, meets Nellie and vows to find her a new home. She hits the same brick wall Jim ran into and takes Nellie in.
Emily has her hands full because Nellie is independent. She quits her job to oversee Nellie’s safety. Once she realizes how intelligent her friend is, she enrolls her in college and finger spells the lessons. Nellie enjoys dancing barefoot at a college hangout. Unable to hear the music, she feels the vibrations in her feet and chest. Many groups are interested in hearing about Nellie's life so Emily and Nellie earn money giving lectures until the lecture circuit dries up.
Jim hires them to teach deaf and deaf/blind teenage boys at a group home. Nellie receives awards for her work and makes national headlines. When Emily falls in love, Nellie, jealous and frightened over what will happen to her, tries everything to prevent the marriage. Emily is forced to find her a new home. Nellie finds new freedom - and romantic love at the age of 75.
About the Authors
“I discovered the book while I was doing some writing research on the Internet,” explains writer Carol Hoffman, who grew up on 13th Street S.E. in Massillon, Ohio, near the state hospital and now resides in Cleveland where her company, Nib Star Productions is located. “As soon as I finished reading the last page, I contacted the authors about working with them on a screenplay.”
“Most everyone who has read the screenplay, or the book (as told by Emily Street Hensel, Nellie’s companion and friend and as documented by newspapers across the country), agrees it is an inspirational story that needs to be told,” Hoffman adds.
Rosezelle Boggs-Qualls, a social worker for more than 30 years, has a degree in Social Work from Wright State University where she did her Graduate work in Applied Behavioral Sciences. Due to childhood diseases, she lost most of her hearing by the time she was nine. She lives in Canton, Ohio.
Dr. Daryl C. Greene is an Ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, a graduate of Western Michigan University, and Andover-Newton Theological School. He completed his Doctoral Studies at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Due to a rare and progressive neurological disease, he began to lose central vision at the age of six and was legally blind by the time he graduated from high school. He lives in Richmond, Indiana, where he writes and speaks on how to cope with disabilities.
You Call This Love? -A music-driven romance by Carol Hoffman
AWARDS:
-Gold Award - Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival
LOGLINE: A young woman strives to make a name in radio while maintaining a long distance romance with a rising country talent.
SYNOPSIS:
TRACI CLARK grew up in the shadow of her smarter, prettier, more talented sister. So it’s that much more meaningful when RANDY WALKER falls for her. He’s ready to get married, but Traci holds him off. Randy dropped out of high school to pursue his music career and, while he’s talented, Traci wants to do something more with her life than squeeze out babies and sit in bars listening to Randy play.
Traci puts her savings into broadcasting school. Her ambition and natural talent draws the attention of JIM KELLY, a DJ at a Cincinnati country station. She gets a job there… it isn’t much, but it is all the foot in the door she needs.
Cincinnati is three hours away, and Randy hardly ever sees Traci. He’s jealous of the time she spends with Jim, who isn’t shy about his attraction to her. Traci refuses to give up her career, and they break up.
A full time slot opens up at the station. They pass up Traci to give the job to a man. She’s furious, but all her complaints get her is fired. Traci finds another gig with a tiny station in Florida. It quickly becomes apparent the manager is more interested in having a wife than a DJ. Traci leaves it behind.
Burned out from her struggles with the good ol’ boy network to forge a career, Traci moves back to Columbus and aimlessly drifts in menial jobs. Randy plays gigs, missing her from afar and dealing with his own career set backs.
…Until Jim shows up to tell her about a shot at afternoon drive at a Cleveland country station. They kill the audition and score the show.
Even better, Randy is playing a gig in town. Traci and Randy instantly re-connect; the time, distance and misunderstandings have done nothing to dampen their love. But they are both heading toward a point in their lives in which they will have to make a serious decision, one way or the other…
RATING: PG-13
Screenplay features ERITH Music songs.
AWARDS:
-Gold Award - Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival
LOGLINE: A young woman strives to make a name in radio while maintaining a long distance romance with a rising country talent.
SYNOPSIS:
TRACI CLARK grew up in the shadow of her smarter, prettier, more talented sister. So it’s that much more meaningful when RANDY WALKER falls for her. He’s ready to get married, but Traci holds him off. Randy dropped out of high school to pursue his music career and, while he’s talented, Traci wants to do something more with her life than squeeze out babies and sit in bars listening to Randy play.
Traci puts her savings into broadcasting school. Her ambition and natural talent draws the attention of JIM KELLY, a DJ at a Cincinnati country station. She gets a job there… it isn’t much, but it is all the foot in the door she needs.
Cincinnati is three hours away, and Randy hardly ever sees Traci. He’s jealous of the time she spends with Jim, who isn’t shy about his attraction to her. Traci refuses to give up her career, and they break up.
A full time slot opens up at the station. They pass up Traci to give the job to a man. She’s furious, but all her complaints get her is fired. Traci finds another gig with a tiny station in Florida. It quickly becomes apparent the manager is more interested in having a wife than a DJ. Traci leaves it behind.
Burned out from her struggles with the good ol’ boy network to forge a career, Traci moves back to Columbus and aimlessly drifts in menial jobs. Randy plays gigs, missing her from afar and dealing with his own career set backs.
…Until Jim shows up to tell her about a shot at afternoon drive at a Cleveland country station. They kill the audition and score the show.
Even better, Randy is playing a gig in town. Traci and Randy instantly re-connect; the time, distance and misunderstandings have done nothing to dampen their love. But they are both heading toward a point in their lives in which they will have to make a serious decision, one way or the other…
RATING: PG-13
Screenplay features ERITH Music songs.