Dennis Tran Premieres Short Film, Crosswalk
Promotional poster for the short film. Dennis Tran’s headshot with a blurred street behind him. The poster background is a rust red color with yellow text “Dennis Tran, Crosswalk, The see risk, he sees possibility”. The poster lists the credits for the film. The bottom text reads “This film was made for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge in four days.”
“This feels like a season of stepping more fully into both my voice and creative expression, and doing it in community.” - Dennis Tran
Dennis Tran, has premiered a new short film, Crosswalk, for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Dennis wrote and starred in the film which was brought to life in just four days. He explains that Crosswalk is “deeply rooted in my lived experiences, and seeing it resonate with others has been incredibly meaningful”.
Here is what Dennis had to say about creating this short film and the ways it’s impacted his connection with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and disabled communities.
With Crosswalk, the process was just as meaningful as the final product. We created the entire film in four days from concept to submission, which required a level of trust, adaptability, and collaboration that I hadn’t experienced before in this way.
A huge part of that was Keili Fernando, who was instrumental in bringing the film to life. She brought the team together, held the vision, and made it possible for all of us to show up and create something meaningful under such tight constraints. Keili approaches everything with intention and care, and I’m deeply grateful, not just for our friendship, but for the opportunity to work alongside her in this way. The joy we shared in bringing our characters to life, reflecting our real-life dynamics both on and off screen, made the experience even more special.
This project also marks my debut into acting and writing for film, which feels deeply aligned with the work I’ve been doing in advocacy and storytelling. Representation for disabled and neurodivergent AANHPI individuals is still incredibly limited, especially in nuanced, humanizing ways. Stepping into this space wasn’t just about creating a film; it was about becoming the representation I didn’t see growing up and contributing to the kind of stories I wish existed.
The film itself is rooted in my lived experiences, navigating misunderstanding, communication differences, and the intersections of disability, neurodivergence, culture, and identity. Creating it brought up a mix of vulnerability and empowerment: vulnerability in sharing something so personal, and empowerment in reclaiming my narrative on my own terms.
What’s been most meaningful is how people have connected to it. Hearing that others see themselves in the story reinforces why this work matters. It’s not just about visibility. It’s about shifting narratives, expanding who gets to be seen, and creating space for more authentic, culturally grounded representation.
This moment also reflects a broader expansion in my advocacy. Through speaking, writing, consulting, and now film, I’m continuing to build and contribute to spaces that center disabled and neurodivergent AANHPI voices, creating what I wish I had growing up, and helping shape what’s possible moving forward.
Promotional poster for the short film. Dennis Tran’s headshot on the left with a blurred street behind him. Text on the right reads, “A part of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. CROSSWALK. They see risk. He sees possibility. Now available to watch on YouTube.”
Dennis Tran is a member of the Diversability Leadership Collective who is partially blind with glaucoma and is autistic-ADHD (AuDHD).