About this episode
Daniele Rossi interviews filmmaker Irmo Stijnberg about the short film Unspoken Truth, which explores the challenges of stuttering and the injustices faced by those who stutter.
Episode #280: “I grew frustrated with others defining the experience for me.” I speak with, Irmo Stijnberg, the filmmaker behind Unspoken Truth , a powerful short film that shines a light on the lived experience of stuttering in a world obsessed with fluency and speed. Unspoken Truth follows Timothy, a talented graphic designer who stutters and whose passion and skill are overshadowed by misunderstandings and a devastating false accusation. As Timothy struggles to defend himself in an HR meeting, we see the deeper reality of stuttering and the mental energy it takes to speak, the frustration of not being heard, and the heartbreak of being misjudged. The film also gives us rare access into Timothy’s thoughts as he stutters. This film isn’t just about stuttering. It’s also about injustice and resilience. And speaking of injustice, the film was also immediately disqualified from the European Film Festival Integration You and Me claiming stuttering isn’t a disability despite the fact that the festival is a European event that receives funding by the EU which recognizes stuttering as a disability and prohibits discrimination under its laws. We also dive into Irmo’s own…
People in this episode
Host: Daniele Rossi
Guest: Irmo Stijnberg
Topics covered
- stuttering
- filmmaking
- mental health
- injustice
- resilience
- communication
Keywords
- stuttering
- Unspoken Truth
- Irmo Stijnberg
- mental energy
- communication barriers
- disability
- film festival
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: European Film Festival Integration You and Me, EU
Books & works: Unspoken Truth
More episodes of Stuttering is Cool
- The Stuttering Paradox · December 16, 2025 · 45 min
- Where my stuttering comes from · September 18, 2025 · 32 min
- Draw Your Stutter · April 1, 2025 · 30 min
- Changing the lives of children who stutter through community · March 18, 2025 · 49 min
- Comedy, coffee, and hilarity with Aidan Greene · February 11, 2025 · 44 min
- There is room for fluency in acceptance and vice versa · November 19, 2024 · 36 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Stuttering is Cool podcast page.