A teenage film fanatic from Dublin is dreaming of a trip to a Hollywood film set - after receiving a personal invite from 'Avengers' director Joe Russo.
15-year-old Daniel Fee from Edenmore hopes to travel to Los Angeles after the SAG-AFTRA strike ends.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came about earlier this year after Russo, who works alongside his brother Anthony, agreed to Daniel's request for an interview on his YouTube channel.
During the interview he praised the teen's in-depth knowledge and passion for films.
"I love your interviews," Russo told him. "I actually think you know more about film than a lot of people I have come across in a long time.
"So, I love to hear you talk about movies and I am excited to talk about them with you".
At the end of the interview, Russo invited Daniel to shadow him on set to learn more about production.
"I literally couldn’t breathe," Daniel said. "I think you can see in the interview. I started tearing up."
Daniel credits his love of film to his parents.
"I grew up in a house with two Deaf parents, my mother Donna and my dad Simon," he explained. "Me and my twin sister Katie, we’re both hearing. Both my parents few up connecting with the visual medium.
"You don’t have to be hearing to see the Millennium Falcon fly, or to watch a film like Lawrence of Arabia and feel transcended," he added.
"So, having two Deaf parents, I think, is a huge part of that. We could all connect over film."
But for a family that loves films, finding subtitled screenings proved difficult.
"We all have similar tastes. Simon introduced Daniel to films from his own childhood - 80’s films like E.T., Back to the Future, Star Wars Indiana Jones," Donna explained.
"When they were little, we’d bring them out to cinemas that have subtitles but not that often. Timings and choice are not that great."
Daniel's passion for film is something he feels all members of the Deaf community should be able to experience more freely.
"Cinema is about connection. You can be sitting beside a stranger in the cinema, but you are looking at the same image," he explained. "You are connected in that moment.
"I think the idea you have to go to a subtitled screening at the most awkward time, at like 10.30am on a Monday morning. Come on. I think we could do a bit more," he added.
"There are people who deserve to connect over film."
Joe Russo and his team have promised to fly Daniel to LA once the SAG-AFTRA strike has been resolved.
In the meantime, the teen film fanatic is writing a short film with deaf audiences firmly in mind.
"I am hoping to make it about a Deaf farmer," he explained. "When I am a filmmaker, my films are absolutely going to have subtitles."
When asked if they think their son will one day bring them to a subtitled cinema screening of one of his own films, Donna and Simon Fee replied:
"Oh yes. Definitely. Definitely," Donna Fee said.
Interpreting for Simon Fee, Donna Fee said: "He said he hopes he gets free popcorn on Daniel. Daniel will be paying this time."
