TEACHER OF PATIENCE
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Teacher of Patience

Over 20 years after Emily Felter is diagnosed with Down syndrome, paramedic (and Emily's father) Tom develops a presentation to share her story with other first responders. As the Felters work to raise disability awareness, they come face-to-face with the struggles and joys of their daily lives.​
A 30-minute Emmy Award-winning documentary by Carmen Vincent.
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Film Festival Laurels for: Award of Excellence 2022 Canada Shorts Film Festival; Official Selection Indy Shorts International Film Festival 2022; Slamdance Film Festival 2023; Best Documentary at Garoa Awards in Sao Paulo Brazil; Best Documentary Film Award Finalist Summer 2022 Oregon Documentary Film Festival; Best Female Director at Best Documentary Award 2022; Winner - Documentary at Best Short Film Award 2022; Best Documentary Short 2022 at Prospector International Film Festival; Best Film - Disability Issue at Tagore International Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Paradise Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Breaking Down Barriers 2022; Official Selection Depth of Field International Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Portland Film Festival 2022; Semi-Finalist at Small Axe Radical Short Film Awards Tolpuddle 2022; Official Selection at Tennessee International Indie Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at WRPN Women’s International Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at International Portrait Film Festival 2022; Nominee at Hobnobben Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Docs Without Borders Film Festival 2022; Honorable Mention at HALO International Film Festival 2022; Special Recognition Award - The Arcadia Award - Winner at Prodigy Film Festival 2022 for outstanding contribution in a documentary (Carmen Vincent and The Felter Family, Teacher of Patience); Best Short Documentary at Stockholm City Film Festival 2022; Audience Choice Award at Fault Line Film Festival 2023; Official Selection at Hoosier Films Annual Festival 2023; Best of Hoosier Lens Best Short Documentary Award Winner at Indy Film Fest 2023
Teacher of Patience film poster in the middle. A salmon pink backdrop with blocky white text that reads “Teacher of Patience.” Front and center is a picture of Emily Felter, the star of Teacher of Patience. She is smiling with her hand framing her face. Her straight blonde hair is up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a grey athletic top. Three emblems for fire, police, and EMS; red, grey, and blue respectively. White laurel with text that reads Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award Winner 2023.

The more support we receive, the more educational screenings we can offer to first responders across the country!
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Meet the Felters

The family featured in Teacher of Patience. Learn more about The Emily Talk at TheEmilyTalk.com.
Picture of Emily Felter, a white woman with pulled back blonde hair, smiling at the camera with her hands under her face. She has almond-shaped eyes, a tell that she has Down syndrome.
Emily Felter
Daughter,
Teacher of Patience
Picture of Tom Felter, a middle-aged white man with white hair, glasses, and a grey sweatshirt
Tom Felter, Jr.
​Father,
​Paramedic
Picture of Tina Felter, a white woman with short brown hair, glasses, and a grey t-shirt. She is standing in front of a large brown horse.
Tina Felter
​Mother,
​Labor & Delivery Nurse
Picture of Emily Felter next to her sister, Sarah Felter, who is a white woman with long brown hair, glasses, and a large smile
Sarah Norkus
Emily's Older Sister,

Surgical Services Manager​

Meet the Team

The creators of Teacher of Patience.
Picture of Carmen Vincent, a white woman with long blonde hair, curled, and a big smile
Carmen Vincent
Director/Producer/Camera/
​Editor
IMDb
Picture of Heidi Reinberg, a white woman with really short dark hair, black glasses, and bright red lipstick
Heidi Reinberg
​Executive Producer
​IMDb​
Picture of Veronique Doumbe, an African American woman with dreadlocks looking off to the left and pointing her finger which has a ring on it
Véronique N.  Doumbé 
​Consulting Editor
IMDb
Picture of Veronique Doumbe, an African American woman with dreadlocks looking off to the left and pointing her finger which has a ring on it
Evan Knowles
Associate Producer
Picture of Liz Wuerffel, a white woman with blue eyes and long brown hair smiling at the camera
Liz Wuerffel
Camera
Picture of Katelyn Calhoun, a white woman with long blonde hair and large glasses, smiling and looking off to the right
Katelyn Calhoun
Camera
Picture of Zack Thorpe, a white man wearing a tan beanie, glasses, a trimmed beard, and an IVF coming out of his left ear
Zack Thorpe
Sound Mixer
Picture of Jason Arnold, a bald middle-aged man with a big smile, wearing a green shirt with a striped tie.
Jason Arnold
Composer
Headshot of Willow Walsh, a young white woman with peach blonde shoulder-length hair, bangs, bright blue eyes, a large smile, and a black nose ring.
Willow Walsh
Production Assistant

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We're doing big things with this film!
​​
 

We are screening and discussing the film with first responder agencies across the country, as well as incorporating it into training programs and curriculum. We are sharing the film with businesses to include in their diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programming. Learn more about screening the film for your community here.
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"This film is so crucial to EVERYONE in our community. Creating an inclusive environment and embracing differences as strengths is what we all need more of!"
-Yana Pleshivoy Pinkhasov, (Rhythm n' Beets)

Media & Press

For press inquiries, please reach out to [email protected].

Picture
Tom, Tina, and Carmen (plus a special appearance from Emily) on The Lucky Few Podcast

For 5 seasons and over 200 episodes, Heather Avis, Micha Boyett, and Mercedes Lara take on conversations in the Down Syndrome Community that people not only want to hear, but need to hear. They use their platform to shout the worth of people's loved ones with Down Syndrome. 

Listen Here.

RespectAbility logo which reads,
Film Review by RespectAbility

Film industry nonprofit, RespectAbility, reviews Teacher of Patience. RespectAbility is a diverse, disability-led nonprofit that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities, and that advances policies and practices that empower people with disabilities to have a better future. 

Read the article at: 
https://www.respectability.org/2023/01/teacher-of-patience-review/​

Logo: NPR, Lakeshore Public Radio in white text with a blue background
Eye on the Arts by Lakeshore Public Radio

John Cain, host of "Eye on the Arts," talks with Carmen Vincent about her upcoming documentary Teacher of Patience.

​Tune in at: 
​
https://www.lakeshorepublicmedia.org/arts-culture/2021-06-07/eye-on-the-arts-june-7-2021

Logo, blue text that reads
1 in 54 Radio Show by Anderson Center for Autism

"1 in 54 children in the United States of America are diagnosed with autism. Tune into the 1 in 54 radio show, hosted by Eliza Bozenski, to hear from members of the entire autism community talk about what they are doing to learn, support, and broaden awareness."

​Tune into Carmen's episode about Teacher of Patience HERE.

Chesterton Tribune logo (black serif text, white background)
​Local Filmmaker Focuses on Disability Awareness Article by Chesterton Tribune

Chesterton Tribune journalist Lois Tomaszewski writes about Teacher of Patience, its back story, and its purpose. (Fun fact: Carmen Vincent is based in Chesterton!)

​Read the article at:
https://www.chestertontribune.com/articles/local-filmmaker-focuses-on-disability-awareness/

Stills

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Contact us at [email protected].
Teacher of Patience, © 2024

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