If you saw the Hollywood blockbuster, A Quiet Place, one would agree that there are acres of awareness needed on the life of deaf people.

For Ebony Life Creative Academy alumnus, Lucy Oigbochie Abena, it was her first-hand experience with them in university that shaped her decision to beam her spotlight on them in her latest short film, Ebun.

“I once met someone who said that if they returned to this world, they would like to be deaf again. My sister and I attended the Federal Science and Technical College and we had a lot of blind and deaf people in school. I didn’t really understand how their minds worked. And we would often discuss how well they treated us,” her eyes glowed with curiosity. “So, when the writer — who’s also directing this by the way — showed me the script, I just knew I was going to do it.”

Directed by another ELCA alumnus Ekeh John Emeka and executively produced by Abena, the short film follows the life of a young deaf girl who stumbles on hearing aids, but later decides to ditch the world’s “noise” for a life of silence and serenity. “This film tries to focus on the deaf community, to amplify their experiences, and seek support,” Abena said, noting that she launched a fundraiser to produce the film.

“I was almost going crazy, because the GoFundMe didn’t raise up to half the film’s budget. I had to take out my rent savings to finance it, and I got a lot of support from my friends,” she said.

The lawyer and filmmaker who’s also behind other critically acclaimed shorts, Stupid Finder (2022), The People’s Court (2023), and In Her Place (2025), noted that she’s committed to “telling stories that matter to and deeply affect minority groups in our society.”

Ebun is scheduled for release on September 28th, in commemoration of the International Day of the Deaf.