About this Short Film
"Our Mountains" (Rooty Hill High School, Australia, 2020) offers a thoughtful short that explores themes of achievement, determination and friendship through the perspectives of young people in a school setting. With a focus on autism and intellectual disability, the film highlights how perception and viewpoint shape everyday experiences. Landscaped scenes and candid moments invite viewers to consider how individuals navigate goals and relationships as they move toward adulthood. Presented as part of the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, it joins other works that celebrate ability, resilience and community while reminding audiences to look closely at the small victories that matter.
Film Details
Film Transcript
My name is Thomas DeFungo and school has always been challenging for me. I knew I was unique in primary school because I spent the first five years of my schooling in a unit for students with ASD. I was also part of the social skills club where we learned how to communicate better with others and express feelings in appropriate ways. He taught me how to respond to people when they say things like "have a nice day", or how to smile and introduce myself to new people.
The truth is, my time in the social skills club has helped me cooperate better with others, but it hasn't helped me entirely with my schooling. In fact, it has helped me far more with my landscaping. I only realise how much I prefer the outdoors when I realise how loud it is inside. I prefer being outside because it's quieter; when I am indoors I only hear noise, but when I'm outdoors I am calm. I notice it when it's sunny; I notice the breeze and when it's pushing at the trees I notice all the birds whistling and scrounging for food. There are no stretching sounds for me in nature. Outdoors is where my passion for landscaping began. I started learning landscaping at TAFE when I was in Year 9. Doing something I love has allowed me to get on with school and make it to Year 11. My journey to this point has not been easy.
When I would get assessment notifications I would always overthink and panic. It all seemed too hard. I didn't quite understand what to do and how to get it done on time. I learned that not everybody has the time or kind-heartedness to help me with schoolwork, but I've been lucky enough to find a friend who understands my challenges.
In class, when a teacher gives me too much information I find myself easily distracted. When I don't understand something I ask my teacher to explain it again in an easier way. This happens often, which can sometimes be frustrating to my peers. This is why I am grateful to have the senior study where I can get specialised assistance with my tasks or work in a smaller group.
A teacher once told me that life is like a journey up a mountain and school is only one peak of the mountain you're climbing. This has made me see things more clearly: your destination is not what's important, it's how far you've come from where you started. When I pause and look back to see how far I've come, I can see that the social skills club in primary school helped me be less awkward around people. I can see how finding a passion for Landscaping United gave me the determination to persist through my schooling and continue with TAFE. I can see that I have people who understand my challenges, who help me through my struggles and find a way to complete tasks.
Wearing this senior shirt fills me with pride. I have climbed a mountain to get here and I am determined to persist so that I can be a landscaper.
Filmmaker
Rooty Hill High School is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Rooty Hill High School.
