When words fail, try music.

As We Are, an award-winning short documentary that explores autism, music, communication, inclusion, the power of community, and the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when a community comes together.

The film follows Evan, a musician preparing for a life-altering concert, with his tuba, piano, and mother by his side. In Annapolis, Maryland, Evan’s mother brings together neurodivergent musicians, local bands, choirs, music students, and professional musicians for a transformative concert and fundraiser.

Through Evan’s story, As We Are challenges the perceived barriers surrounding autism and offers an inspiring look at how music can create connection, foster inclusion, and provide a powerful way for people to express themselves and be heard.

Watch the Trailer: View the Trailer on Vimeo

About the Filmmakers

Michael R. Faulkner - Director

Michael R. Faulkner is an award-winning filmmaker based in Baltimore, Maryland. His formative experiences in film production, including working on set with John Waters and scouting locations for the HBO series The Wire, sparked a creative dedication to his city and its stories.

Faulkner is passionate about telling unique stories of collaboration and imagination that awaken new perspectives. His work has screened at festivals around the world and includes the critically acclaimed short film John and James and the feature documentary SHU-DE! (Let’s Go).

Robin Miller Ungar - Producer

Robin Miller Ungar is a speech-language pathologist who had dreamed of making documentary films for years. She discovered the subject of her first film while visiting a small chapel in Santiago de Cuba, where she encountered the Vocal Vidas. Her documentary short, Soy Cubana, about the Afro-Cuban a cappella female quartet, went on to screen at more than 60 film festivals, receiving audience awards and jury prizes around the world.

A year later, a childhood friend approached Robin about documenting a concert bringing autistic musicians together with music students and professional musicians from their Maryland community. Having devoted much of her professional practice to working with people with communication challenges, she immediately recognized the opportunity to tell this story.

The result is As We Are, a moving short documentary about music, communication, inclusion, and the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when a community comes together.