A powerful new documentary titled I Am is gaining attention not only for its emotional storytelling but for the remarkable journey it captures—one of survival, resilience, and human connection in the face of unspeakable trauma and anti-LGBTQ+ bias.
Ron Blake. Facebook
The 2025 film, produced by 17-year-old twin brothers Ethan and Aidan Sinconis of Arizona, tells the story of a survivor of a brutal incident of sexual assault, and domestic violence. The filmmakers—still in high school at the time—took a bold chance on the story, ultimately winning the Best Short Film award at the Rocky Mountain Emmys. One Academy judge called it “one of the best short films I’ve ever seen from anyone—student or professional. Masterful storytelling.”
The subject of I Am is a gay survivor who endured a life-altering trauma when three men, one of them a former long-term partner, entered his Phoenix home while he was asleep. The attack left him with severe injuries, and the response from authorities added another layer of injustice: despite being found at the scene, the attackers were not arrested, no rape kit was administered, and no medical assistance was offered. It was later determined that anti-LGBTQ+ bias played a role in the handling of the case by police and emergency services.
In the aftermath, the survivor fell into years of debilitating PTSD, dissociative amnesia, and deep isolation. But I Am doesn’t dwell in tragedy—it charts the extraordinary journey out of that darkness. As the film reveals, it was a moment of unexpected comedy from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that interrupted a suicide attempt and sparked a renewed desire to live.
That spark became a mission: to reconnect with humanity and eventually, symbolically, to appear on The Late Show. The documentary follows this unique and deeply personal quest as the survivor approaches 34,707 strangers, collecting handwritten stories of encouragement and support in 95 languages, using 32 Sharpie colors across 521 foam boards. These boards become more than just a personal milestone—they transform into a public monument to resilience, human connection, and the need for belonging.
Ethan and Aidan Sinconis not only directed and edited the film with extraordinary emotional sensitivity—they also made the powerful decision to have the survivor narrate the documentary himself, giving voice to an experience that far too many victims of rape, domestic violence, and anti-LGBTQ+ violence never get to share.
The message of I Am is clear: this is not a story of anger or revenge, but one of hope, compassion, forgiveness, and connection. At a time when loneliness has been declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General, this film offers a timely and deeply moving exploration of what it means to heal and to be seen.
There is buzz building around I Am as a contender for an Academy Award—and it’s easy to see why. It’s a story that not only represents the strength of the LGBTQ+ community but also speaks to anyone who has ever struggled to find light in the darkness.
You can watch I Am at SinconisStudios.com.
