WHITE NOISE

"A film about pain and self-acceptance.”

A young woman struggling with scoliosis has her life upended by her parents after several failed attempts to seek treatment on her own.

WHITE NOISE is a short film about Dana's struggles with chronic pain due to her scoliosis. Determined to feel better, Dana attempts every form of treatment in order to avoid surgery and eventually loses all trust in health care. Convinced that her parents are the only ones who can save her, they move her back home to give her the support that she craves and in doing so, Dana learns to let go and trust again.

White Noise is an inspirational story that tackles the subject matters of chronic pain and it's link to depression, family dynamics, self-acceptance and the importance in finding the right doctor.

The Inspiration:

Heinle was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 15 years old, but decided to hold off on surgery until she was an adult. She blogged about her spinal fusion surgery that she had at NYU Langone Spine Center and was featured in the NY Post and Daily Mail. WHITE NOISE is based on her story.

Scoliosis is a genetic condition that causes a sideways curvature of the spine, which occurs most often during the growth spurt before puberty. Most cases are mild, but some children develop spinal deformities that become more severe over time.

Scoliosis can be extremely painful and difficult to treat, and can affect the body's muscles and organs. It is often coupled with low self-esteem due to body dysmorphia and depression.

Scoliosis is a lifelong condition that affects 2 - 3 percent of the population, or an estimated six to nine million people in the United States.

Written by Caroline Heinle
Directed by SanMartin Garcia

The Director:

SanMartin Garcia is a New York based writer, director, script supervisor, and editor. He started out in The Chain Theater in 2015 as an intern for two plays, "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh and "Wait Until Dark" by Fredrick Knott. In 2016, he worked as a PA on web series and music videos while attending the New York Film Academy, where he graduated from the filmmaking program in 2017. Since then, he has been the assistant cameraman and script supervisor for various short films, music videos, and feature films including "The Dark Room" and "I’m Okay We’re Okay" directed by Adrienne Lovette. He also directed the short webseries "Hudson County 60" with Ashley Hearon-Smith from 2017-2019. "White Noise" is his first time directing a narrative film since the pandemic.

The Writer:

Caroline Heinle is a bi-coastal actor, writer and producer. She began her training at The Papermill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ and earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with minors in Political Science and Theater. After studying in London, Heinle relocated to Los Angeles, where she obtained some success in film, television, writing and performed live sketch comedy with the Strait Jacket Society Comedy Troupe.

In 2016, she relocated back to NYC to have spinal fusion surgery for idiopathic scoliosis. Throughout her treatment, she shared weekly blogs and vlogs, which gained press in the NY Post and Daily Mail. She is passionate about storytelling that brings awareness to health and wellness, the power in human connection and overcoming adversity. Recent work includes writer and actor on "Social Weaponry" a docu-narrative about cancel culture, actor in "The Pinch Hitter", and writer, actor and producer of "WHITE NOISE", a short film based on her journey with scoliosis.

She is an advocate for art therapy and how storytelling can heal us from the inside out, her favorite quote is that "Art is made to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed", and she looks forward to more collaborations with fellow creatives.