Angelman Rising follows Eric Dunlop, a 17-year-old with Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that leaves him non-verbal, physically and mentally challenged. When Eric begins to inexplicably “remember” intergalactic experiences, he becomes the key to unraveling a covert extraterrestrial invasion. Simultaneously, while astronaut Jon Armstrong and his AI companion, CASSI, are returning from their historic orbit of Mars, they narrowly avoid colliding with an alien spacecraft, setting off a chain of events that intertwine Jon’s fate with Eric’s. ​

CAST LIST:
Narrator: Hannah Ehman
Sheila; Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Grocery Clerk: Shawn Devlin

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

Logline: Fearing for his life, a severely disabled teenager struggles to share newly implanted alien memories that can save the world from an extraterrestrial invasion.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Sci-fi / Thriller

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

There have been very few films made that feature an individual with disabilities as the protagonist. None that I can think of that portray that individual as the “hero” or should I say “superhero”. Angelman Rising is uniquely positioned to expand the traditional superhero genre into a diverse and inclusive space.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Disabled Superhero

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

It’s probably a toss-up between The Princess Bride, Big Trouble in Little China and Young Frankenstein – lol.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I started working on adapting the screenplay from the novel of the same name in February of 2025.

7. How many stories have you written?

I’ve only written features, and this is my third (with at least two or three more rolling around in my brain). The first two I produced and have already been shot – they should both hit streaming platforms this fall. This screenplay will require a much bigger budget, bigger than I can do alone through my production company.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

This particular screenplay is very personal to me. The author of the novel, which the screenplay is adapted from, is my nephew. His son, my great-nephew, was born with Angelman Syndrome and will require special care 24/7 for the rest of his life. The novel was a way to honor his son, the battles he overcomes daily and pivot his disabilities as assets to the world.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

This was the first adaptation I’ve written. My first draft was almost 200 pages long – lol. It was difficult to decide how to simplify the story and which “babies” to kill. Also, the novel was first published in 2020, so, I had to do a lot of research regarding the current cutting-edge technology.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I’m an actor, a producer, a fine art painter and copper and silversmith jeweler. To say I keep busy is an understatement.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings
on the initial feedback you received?

It was important to me to enter a festival that was specific to the genre and offered additional feedback and table read. The notes I received from Jessica Ah Shene were invaluable. They pointed out areas that needed clarification and improved the overall polish of the script.