Mariam the Majestic (Al-Taqwa College, Australia, 2022) is a short film included in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival. It offers a warm, respectful look at themes of ability, medical disability and school life, and highlights the experiences of children and young adults within group settings. The film touches on mosaic Turner Syndrome while keeping its focus on everyday moments rather than labels. Created by Al-Taqwa College, it invites audiences to think about how schools, peers and communities shape opportunity and self-worth. A thoughtful, human portrait that complements the festival’s commitment to celebrating achievement and resilience.
Let Mariam go, I can't find her. We're doing the interview like this now. So Mariam, what's your name? Mariam? Mariam. Really? Your name is Mariam, my name is Mariam. Are you stealing my name? My abilities are, I'm flexible and I can sing. Today, we're going to talk about chicken nuggets. We love chicken nuggets. I have lots of conditions. Oh, do you want to tell me about them? I have mosaic. Mosaic. Turn a center on my hand right here. What's that? Tell me more about it. It changes your skin so like you lose it, I think. And it spreads all over your body. I have another thing. I have another thing. I don't grow much, that's why I'm really small. I was born that way. When I was born, I was really tiny. I don't know how tiny. I think I was this tiny. How do you feel about your condition? I feel special. In some ways. Sometimes when people bully me about it, like, why are you so small? You're so tiny. I'm taller than you. And sometimes I just think to myself, it's okay. I'm special. What would you like them to focus on instead? My abilities? Why are you laughing? Well, I have another talent. That is that I am a storyteller. So what's the title of your story? The Majesty! What does she want? What is she looking for in this story? She's looking to be loved. Who is she looking to be loved by? Everybody! What does she want to be loved for? Helping people. And being nice and kind. What's the most scariest thing for her? One person. Somebody who doesn't like her. And being mean to her. Your writing is so ugly. Why don't you do that? And rip it. She wants her to be friends and like her. And all the time she keeps asking her, do you want to play with me, please? Do you want to play with me, please? She's not really friends with her. Oh, so she's pretending to be friends with her. One time she was going home and she spoke to her other friend. And then Miriam heard her. You heard about Miriam? Well, I'm just pretending to be her friend. I'm not actually her friend. And then she went home angry. I knew that you were pretending to be my friend. How is she going to make herself feel better? She will eat chicken nuggets. We love chicken nuggets! Chicken nuggets! You would think that a story like this would have a more complicated ending. But in Miriam's world, sometimes a song about nuggets solves it all. Growing up small, Miriam has learned to appreciate the little things in life, like chicken nuggets. She's tiny. She's funny. She's smart. Cat fight. You never know what people are going through, so don't be mean. And one day, you'll be in their shoes. And why were you shy earlier? Because I've been talking too much about my life. Now I can draw little cappuccinos and little pencil cases and things like that. Cappuccinos. I can do the little squiggly lines on my face and then I just wrap it up like that. And then I put cute eyes on it. Cute. Cute. Alright, here we go. Yes, we love you guys.
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Mariam the Majestic by Al-Taqwa College (2022)
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by Al-Taqwa College - SCHOOL DOCUMENTARIES
