More than one in seven Canadians live with some degree of hearing loss, but their experience is rarely represented on screen. Brian Ceci is changing that with his feature documentary debut, HEARD.

The film follows Ceci, a Hard of Hearing cinematographer, as he connects with others on the HoH spectrum to build community and visibility for an identity that exists in the space between hearing and Deafness. Using vérité footage, family archives and candid interviews, HEARD explores what it means to belong to a community defined by a shared spectrum rather than a single experience.

“Growing up wearing hearing aids, I never saw films featuring character depictions of hearing loss outside of Deaf themes,” says Ceci. “While Deafness is certainly an important marginalized group, there is a gap between hearing and Deafness that is essentially voiceless, even in 2026. I know people like me want to feel seen, and of course heard.”

HEARD makes its theatrical debut at Vancouver’s Rio Theatre on April 14th and 19th, with accessibility features including open captions, ASL interpretation and Auracast audio for hearing aid users. Additional screenings in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto are set to be announced.

The TELUS original film will stream free on TELUS Optik TV and TELUS Stream+ starting April 21st. It’s produced by Ruckus Machine Pictures, a company founded specifically to tell impact-driven stories from underrepresented communities.