Kiana Moore’s New Doc Highlights Sensory Sensitivity, Neurodivergent Communities

Kiana Moore is forging her own path as a filmmaker.

After winning the 2022 best feature film Tribeca X Award for “The Beauty of Blackness,” with co-director Tiffany Johnson, Moore set her sights on sitting in the director’s chair solo for her next big project.

Similar to her previous works, like “A Woman’s Place,” a documentary short about the gender biases women face in the culinary industry, and “Into the Mix,” a podcast created to inspire the next generation of activists, Moore continues to focus on underrepresented groups in her new film, “Sensory Overload.”

In this project, Moore, who serves as the vice president of content production and head of Epic Stories at Vox Creative, hopes to shine a light on sensory sensitive and neurodivergent communities in an effort to educate the masses about them, while also debunking stigmas.

For some, the doc will be a first look at the day-to-day life of someone in the neurodivergent and sensory sensitive (communities). It shows how people who are neurodivergent, a nonmedical term to describe someone whose brain works differently, and sensory sensitive, or someone who has a heightened sensitivity to sensory input, aren’t that much different than those who are not.

Someone who is neurodivergent may be seen as having different strengths and challenges in comparison to others, according to Cleveland Clinic. Those possible strengths can include “better memory” and an ability to “solve complex mathematical calculations,” while potential differences can include “medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions,” per the clinic.

Moore tells TODAY.com that regardless of how these communities process information, they should be regarded as capable and included versus being judged and marginalized.

“Both communities have so much to contribute, and they just need us to be open to the way in which they can contribute,” Moore says.

Now, with her project available to watch on Hulu, Moore is sharing more about her story and why she’s not putting a limit on the stories she wants to tell.

Read on to learn more about Moore and the vision behind “Sensory Overload.”

The following Q&A has been condensed for clarity.

Q: What made you want to do this type of film for your official directorial debut? 

A: When we first started working on this campaign over a year ago, we were still trying to figure out what we were going to create, so we started with a story hunt — which is a process that (we use) to find nonfiction stories that we want to tell. … Once we decided on the stories that we wanted to focus on in a feature length documentary, my team and I worked on crafting those stories into one cohesive film.

Because we were working so closely together — and because I was working so closely with the cast — I felt like I should direct this documentary because I was there from the beginning. I knew the characters, I knew what they wanted to say, and I was very adamant about making sure that we told the story the right way. 

As someone who is dyslexic … I had a connection with some of the characters, and I do have sensory sensitivities. Now, I also, from this documentary, realize that I have a lot of sensory-seeking traits. I only realized that after talking to these amazing people. I really felt connected to them. I felt protective of them. I wanted to make sure that their stories were told correctly and resonated with anyone who watched the film, and that is why I decided to direct. 

Q: Talk about your experience with neurodivergent and sensory sensitive communities prior to the film and after. What did you learn from the experience?

A: I do have experience with the neurodivergent community. My godson is neurodivergent, and he means the world to me. One of my nephews is also neurodivergent, and I have had other situations where I have worked with neurodivergent people. The neurodivergent community is common to me. It is like a second skin. I am used to being around them, being an accomplice, and an ally for what they may need or making sure that the spaces they are in are more inclusive.

But I didn’t have experience nor know the language of sensory sensitivity until this documentary. Now that I have been a part of this piece, know the language and how to engage, and know how to actually be supportive, I feel that much better of a person — a better human so that I can also be an ally. We all need someone in the room who will speak up for us, especially when we are not there, but to also speak for us when we are there but we feel voiceless.  

To that point, experts and industry leaders are critical voices in this conversation — those who can speak on behalf of individuals. That’s why, in tandem with the film, the Sensodyne Sensory Inclusion Initiative launched in partnership with American Dental Association and sensory accessibility nonprofit KultureCity.

Q: What do you think are the biggest misconceptions of these groups?

A: I think the biggest misconception is that they are a hindrance, they are an annoyance, they take up space that they don’t need to take up, and that we have to somehow tolerate them. That is not true at all.

Both communities have so much to contribute, and they just need us to be open to the way in which they can contribute. All of us have special skills. Someone who is an amazing pianist needs a piano to play. If they do not have one, or if they are playing the bass or the violin, they would not be able to express their skill fully, even though they have the ability and willingness to be great. We need to realize that there is greatness in all people. If we give people the tools, society will get to see them flourish. 

Making a space sensory friendly does not impact society negatively at all. But more importantly, it now allows people with sensory sensitivities to also thrive.

Q: What do you hope your film achieves — personally and for these communities?

A: I will be selfish and hope to win an Oscar for the best documentary. In all seriousness, professionally, I am content and blessed with where my career is going, and I just hope that people see this and trust me and my team to create more amazing content. I hope this film achieves understanding and engagement with (these communities). I hope that people watch this film and realize that if they need to speak up, that if they feel a part of this, they have the right to speak up, ask questions, and make situations more accommodating and inclusive. And, if a person doesn’t have sensory sensitivities and they see someone struggling, maybe they will have a little bit more empathy and understanding, and then maybe help make a situation more inclusive.