KIDS LIKE ME explores the life and aspirations of Oliver, a rambunctious and imaginative preteen growing up with disabilities, who’s an avowed murder-mystery aficionado about to craft the perfect mystery caper.
SYNOPSIS
Meet Oliver, a 12-year-old murder-mystery enthusiast with a vivid imagination and a rare genetic condition. Inspired by his love of the genre, Oliver sets out to bring his own mystery to the big screen - with a little help from his friends. The script is written, the cast is set, and Oliver is ready to call “action” on his most ambitious venture yet. What unfolds is more than a creative project—it’s a powerful testament to friendship, resilience, and the magic that happens when a community comes together.
An intimate window into growing up with disabilities and the power of community, KIDS LIKE ME is a celebration of chasing your dreams and what is possible through support and a whole lot of love. Directors Cynthia Lowen (BATTLEGROUND) and Jon Cohrs (BACKWATER) craft a story that honors both Oliver’s remarkable vision and the realities his family navigates every day—revealing how creativity can transform challenges into connection.
Director Statement
We want audiences to share in Oliver’s joy of creation, his passion for storytelling and the fierce ways he and his family move through the world. ‘Kids Like Me’ is a profoundly human story about family, community and love — a story that transcends the divides shaping our nation. We believe this fi lm has the power to reach wide and diverse audiences, drawing them into Oliver’s irresistible imagination and his family’s compelling perspectives. Our hope is that ‘Kids Like Me’ leaves viewers exhilarated by the potential of creativity and invested in dismantling the barriers that young people with disabilities may face in the pursuit of their dreams.
Supporter Statement
"In Kids Like Me, co-directors Cynthia Lowen (Battleground, TF22) and Jon Cohrs capture an endearing portrait of an ingenious boy navigating limitations through his soaring imagination — resulting in a sensitive, big-hearted (and funny!) coming-of-age story."
—Jose Rodriguez, Lead Programmer, Tribeca Festival
ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)
Cynthia Lowen
Cynthia Lowen is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and award-winning writer whose work uses the power of story to catalyze meaningful change, confronting timely social issues from bullying to online harassment to reproductive rights. She is a 2023 Sundance/Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Fellow for her feature narrative script LIGHT MASS ENERGY, the story of Mileva Marić Einstein, who confronted rampant discrimination to become one of the first women in physics. Cynthia is the director/producer of BATTLEGROUND, about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, premiering at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, theatrically released through Abramorama and streaming on STARZ.
Cynthia is also the director/producer of NETIZENS (HBO), a feature documentary about women and online harassment. She’s the producer and writer of BULLY, a feature documentary following fi ve kids and families through a year in the life of America’s bullying crisis, which was shortlisted for the Oscars and nominated for two Emmys. In conjunction with her fi lms, Cynthia has spearheaded large-scale impact campaigns, working with partners such as Autism Speaks, Facebook, Human Rights Campaign, Microsoft, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the United Federation of Teachers, and many others. She is a winner of the National Poetry Series and is a member of the Producers Guild of America.
Jon Cohrs
Jon Cohrs is a filmmaker, producer, and media artist whose work uses public engagement, collaboration, and emerging technology to explore the intersections of technology and the environment. After a traumatic accident, his practice has also expanded to address chronic pain and the healthcare industry. Between 2020 and 2023 he served as senior producer for the R&D team at The New York Times, exploring the future of journalism through research and emergent storytelling techniques, including photogrammetry, Unreal Engine, AI, spatial audio, and other applications.
He also runs Electrick Labs, a consultancy that builds complex visualizations for news organizations and legal cases. His feature documentary Backwater follows a group traveling by canoe through a post-industrial landscape, exploring a story of nature and toxicity in the Anthropocene. The film premiered at Visions du Réel. Jon's work has been shown at Ars Electronica, The Total Museum Korea, and Art in General, among others, and his project OMG TV was commissioned by the Vancouver Olympics. He has received grants from NYSCA, the Media Arts Assistance Fund, the Mellon Foundation, the Experimental Television Center, and FutureEverything, and fellowships from Eyebeam, NYFA, and the Banff Centre for the Arts.
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Women Make Movies (WMM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media arts organization registered with the New York Charities Bureau of New York State and accepts charitable donations on behalf of this project. Your donation will be spent by the filmmaker(s) toward the production and completion of this media project. No services or goods are provided by Women Make Movies, the filmmaker(s) or anyone else associated with this project in exchange for your charitable donation.
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