Once More, Like Rain Man
A comedy-drama · 15 minutes · Written by and starring an autistic actress · Directed by an autistic filmmaker
What happens when you’re told you’re not autistic enough to play an autistic character?
A sharp, funny, and thought-provoking short film about authenticity, representation, and who gets to tell our stories.
Watch the Trailer
Once More, Like Rain Man
Official trailer
Bring the Film to Your Audience
Community Screening License
$125
One-time in-person public performance license. Includes a discussion guide.
K-12 / University License
$100
One-time classroom or campus screenings. Includes a discussion guide.
Both licenses include a discussion guide.
Interested in a live Q&A with writer and star Bella Zoe Martinez? Contact us for availability and pricing.
Rates listed are for non-ReelAbilities affiliates. Subject to availability.
The Film
Directed by autistic filmmaker Sue Ann Pien and written by and starring autistic actress Bella Zoe Martinez, Once More, Like Rain Man follows Zoe, a 14-year-old autistic actress navigating an industry that repeatedly tells her she isn’t “autistic enough” for the roles she auditions for.
Inspired by Martinez’s own audition experiences, this poignant comedy-drama offers an intimate and often humorous look at the assumptions surrounding autism, the complexities of representation, and the importance of authentic voices in storytelling.
Just 15 minutes. A conversation that lasts much longer.
Cast & Crew
Bella Zoe Martinez stars alongside Joe Mantegna, Sosie Bacon, Matt Jones, and Emmy-nominated Tal Anderson.
Directed by Sue Ann Pien and produced by Suzann Ellis, Darren Dean, Melissa Martinez-Areffi, and AJ Areffi, the film brings together an inclusive cast and creative team, both in front of and behind the camera.
Bring the Film to Your Community
Schools, Universities & Nonprofits
Engage students, educators, families, and communities in meaningful conversations about autism, identity, and authentic representation. Invite writer and star Bella Zoe Martinez for a live, in-person post-screening Q&A and a firsthand perspective on bringing Zoe’s story to the screen.*
*Additional cast and crew may be available upon request, subject to scheduling.
Studios & Organizations
Use the film as an engaging entry point for conversations about neurodiversity, authentic inclusion, and accessibility in the entertainment industry. Ideal for employee resource groups (ERGs), workplace learning, inclusion initiatives, and organizational events.
“People sometimes forget that people who are autistic are people too.”
— Bella Zoe Martinez, Deadline
Recognition & Reach
Since partnering with ReelAbilities International, Once More, Like Rain Man has reached audiences across leading cultural institutions, community organizations, and international markets.
In addition to screening at the 18th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, featuring an international live Q&A hosted by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, OMLRM has been presented at the Museum of the Moving Image, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Excellence in Filmmaking Showcase, Easterseals Southern California, The Ed Asner Family Center, and Autism After 21.
Its reach extends internationally, with screenings in Mexico, Chile, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Belgium, and it has been featured in Variety, Deadline, ABILITY Magazine, Art of Autism, Crip Life (UK), CBS/KCAL News, and The Sit.
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