Mark Levin's poem "Senses" explores the idea that our perceptions and sensory experiences may not reflect reality as we believe. It questions the reliability of what we see, hear, and feel, suggesting that our understanding of the world is shaped by illusions or misconceptions. Through reflective and thought-provoking language, Levin challenges viewers to reconsider how they interpret their surroundings and the truth behind their senses.
Screening Details:
disability experience. April 26th 2026. 18:30pm-23:00pm. Venue to be announced.
Technical details
Narrative Short - UK - 4 minutes 36 seconds - American Sign Language, English
Cast and Credits
Director - Adrean Mangiardi
Director - Mark Levin
Writer - Mark Levin
Producer - Adrean Mangiardi
Key Cast
Mark Levin
LVFF 2026 Award Nominations
Disability Experience Award
Director biography
- mark levin
Losing his hearing at the age of two never slowed Mark down. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago (B.A., Arts, Entertainment & Media Management, Music Business), Mark brings a lifelong passion for music, film, and the broader entertainment industry.
Mark began working with DPAN (Deaf Professional Arts Network) in 2008, collaborating on the creation of more than 30 ASL music videos and contributing to the launch of DPAN.tv in 2015.
A poet and performer for over two decades, Mark’s work explores his lived experience as a Deaf individual navigating a hearing world, while challenging assumptions about disability, identity, and artistic possibility.
Inspiration behind "Senses".
The poem was inspired by a play on words and a deeper look of what senses are. As a Deaf musician I'm often asked how do I play music, and what is my relationship with music. The simple answer is that in its purest form, music is just a series of vibrations. So often, hearing individuals are relying on their ears to hear music, not realizing they're feeling it too. I took the concept of feeling & hearing and explored how the other senses were tangent in one way or another and that lead to the creation of this poem.
Director biography
- Adrean Mangiardi
Adrean Mangiardi is a Deaf filmmaker, producer, and editor whose work bridges art, accessibility, and storytelling. With over twenty years in film and video production, he has built a reputation for creating visually striking, inclusive, and emotionally resonant projects that center authentic Deaf representation.
After losing his hearing, Adrean discovered a new way of experiencing the world, through vision, rhythm, and connection. This transformation inspired a series of deeply personal experimental films, including Paper Airplane, Equilibrium, and Deprivation/Stimulation, which explore identity, sound, and silence from his unique perspective as a cochlear implant user.
As founder of Mangiardi Films LLC, Adrean leads productions spanning commercial, educational, and documentary storytelling for clients such as Google Nest, Gallaudet University, and D-PAN.tv. His work integrates captioning, sign language, and universal design principles to ensure that film is accessible to everyone.
Driven by connection and innovation, Adrean continues to push the boundaries of visual communication, inviting audiences to see the world through new perspectives and challenging the limits of how stories are told and understood.