This Is Going to Be Big – Hot Docs 2024

Four neurodiverse teens in Victoria, Australia prepare to participate in the school musical in This is Going to Be Big. At Macedon Ranges Specialist School in Victoria, Australia, music teacher Darcy Nolan and drama teacher Lori Nichols are preparing to put on their bi-annual school music, with this year's script being The Time Travelling Trio, a time-travelling jukebox musical based on the music of John Farnham. Halle, Chelsea, Josh, and Elyse are four neurodivergent students, who each have their reasons for wanting to be a part of this musical.

This Is Going to Be Big Synopsis

This Is Going to Be Big is a documentary directed by Thomas Charles Hyland. The film follows four very diverse neurodiverse students at an Australian special needs school. This includes Halle and Josh, who both have forms of autism, Chelsea, who has an acquired brain injury as the result of getting hit by a car at 5 years old, and Elyse has generalized anxiety disorder, which makes her prone to seizures. Each of these students has to overcome their challenges to make it to the big premiere performance of their stage musical.

My Thoughts on This Is Going to Be Big

As a neurodiverse person myself, I thought that This Is Going to Be Big to be an absolutely wonderful and inspirational film. The film takes place over 172 days, from the initial auditions to the final performance, during which time we get to know each of the four primary subjects. By the time This Is Going to Be Big reaches its crescendo with an epic performance of John Farnham's 1986 hit “You're the Voice,” chances are you will probably be wiping away tears.

Trailer for This Is Going to Be Big – Hot Docs 2024