Disfluency (2025) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A college student's journey from silence and fragmented memory toward disclosure, agency, and an uncertain but determined return to life.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Troubled Homecoming

Jane fails her final college course and returns to her family's Michigan lake house. She struggles with withdrawal, apologies, and readjustment while hiding the cause of her collapse.

Key Events

• Academic Collapse — Jane fails her final course under unclear circumstances and withdraws from college life. Characters: Jane Location: College
• Return to Michigan — Jane returns to her family's lake house after the academic collapse. Characters: Jane Location: Michigan
• Family Readjustment — Jane struggles to readjust to life at home with her parents and sister. Characters: Jane, Lacey Location: Family lake house
• Withdrawn Summer — Jane remains withdrawn and frequently apologetic while concealing why school went wrong. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house
• Childhood Reconnection — Jane reconnects with childhood friends, including her longtime crush Jordan. Characters: Jane, Jordan Location: Michigan

Old Connections Return

Jane reconnects with childhood friends, including Jordan, her longtime crush. Her emotional distance and fragmented memories suggest that an unresolved trauma continues to shape her behavior.

Key Events

• Childhood Reconnection — Jane reconnects with childhood friends, including her longtime crush Jordan. Characters: Jane, Jordan Location: Michigan
• Emotional Distance — Jane stays emotionally distant despite reconnecting with Jordan and other childhood friends. Characters: Jane, Jordan Location: Michigan
• Fragmented Memories — Fragmented memories begin connecting Jane's present anxiety with a traumatic incident. Characters: Jane Location: Michigan
• Amber Reappears — Jane reconnects with Amber, a former childhood friend who is now a single mother. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Concern About Communication — Jane suspects Amber's young son is deaf and recognizes a need for communication support. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan

Learning To Communicate

Jane reconnects with Amber and begins teaching American Sign Language because of concerns about Amber's young son. The lessons force Jane to recognize her own difficulty communicating.

Key Events

• Concern About Communication — Jane suspects Amber's young son is deaf and recognizes a need for communication support. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Sign Language Lessons — Jane begins teaching American Sign Language in connection with Amber's son. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Communication Mirror — Teaching sign language makes Jane increasingly aware of her own communication difficulties. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Anxiety Intensifies — Suppressed memories intensify Jane's anxiety as the summer progresses. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house
• Trauma Emerges — Jane realizes that a sexual assault caused her withdrawal from school. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house

Naming The Trauma

Suppressed memories intensify until Jane understands that a sexual assault led to her withdrawal from college. She wrestles with uncertainty, guilt, shame, and fear of disbelief.

Key Events

• Trauma Emerges — Jane realizes that a sexual assault caused her withdrawal from school. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house
• Uncertain Definition — Jane struggles to define or confront the assault and questions how to describe it. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house
• Guilt And Shame — Jane grapples with guilt, shame, and fear that others will not believe her. Characters: Jane Location: Family lake house
• Bond With Amber — Jane's growing bond with Amber helps create a safer path toward expression. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Family Encouragement — Jane receives family support as she searches for a way to articulate what happened. Characters: Jane, Lacey Location: Family lake house

A Voice In Signs

Supported by Amber and her family, Jane finds a way to articulate the assault through sign language. She begins reclaiming agency and resolves to return to college while continuing her recovery.

Key Events

• Family Encouragement — Jane receives family support as she searches for a way to articulate what happened. Characters: Jane, Lacey Location: Family lake house
• Disclosure In Signs — Jane finally discloses the assault using sign language, breaking through her silence. Characters: Jane, Amber Location: Michigan
• Reclaimed Agency — By summer's end, Jane begins reclaiming a sense of agency despite ongoing recovery. Characters: Jane Location: Michigan
• Return To College — Jane resolves to return to college and confront her trauma with greater clarity. Characters: Jane Location: College

Story Breakdown

• Academic Collapse — Jane's unexplained failure forces her away from college and into an emotionally difficult homecoming.
  • Final Course Failure — Jane fails her final course under unclear circumstances.
  • Michigan Homecoming — Jane returns to her family's lake house and struggles to readjust.
• Family Readjustment — Jane's withdrawn behavior places her inside a family environment she has difficulty rejoining.
  • Apologetic Withdrawal — Jane is frequently apologetic and emotionally closed off.
  • Lacey's Presence — Jane must readjust to life at home with her sister Lacey.
• Old Friendships — Summer reconnections reopen both emotional possibilities and memories Jane has tried to avoid.
  • Jordan Reconnects — Jane encounters Jordan, her longtime crush and childhood friend.
  • Emotional Distance — Jane remains distant despite renewed contact with old friends.
• Amber's Connection — Jane's renewed friendship with Amber creates the relationship that helps her move toward expression.
  • Former Friends Meet — Jane reconnects with Amber, now a single mother.
  • Growing Bond — Their bond becomes a central source of encouragement for Jane.
• Language And Awareness — Teaching American Sign Language becomes a mirror for Jane's own struggle to communicate.
  • Sign Language Lessons — Jane begins teaching American Sign Language in connection with Amber's son.
  • Communication Barrier — Jane becomes increasingly aware of her own difficulty expressing herself.
• Trauma Disclosure — Jane gradually identifies the assault, confronts the emotions surrounding it, and finally communicates what happened.
  • Suppressed Memories — Fragmented memories and anxiety reveal the traumatic incident beneath her academic collapse.
  • Guilt And Shame — Jane fears being disbelieved and struggles with guilt and shame.
  • Disclosure In Signs — Jane discloses the assault using sign language.
• Reclaiming Agency — After disclosure, Jane begins moving forward without pretending that her recovery is complete.
  • Summer's End — Jane begins reclaiming a sense of agency by the end of summer.
  • College Return — Jane resolves to return to college and face her trauma with greater clarity.

Directed by

Anna Baumgarten

Key Cast

• Molly Hagan — Professor Parker
• Libe Barer — Jane
• Ariela Barer — Lacey
• Chelsea Alden — Amber
• Dylan Arnold — Jordan