SOMA ULTE
(a comedy drama coming of age feature film)
Openly gay and privately on the autism spectrum, 19-year-old Aidan tries to win over the heart of his bisexual best friend, Blake, despite his constant struggles with social interactions.
mEET THE TEAM
Hi, I’m Jacob Nagle, writer of Soma Ulte. I wrote this film based on my personal experiences as a gay man on the autism spectrum. I believe that my unique perspective makes this story worth telling. Social interactions do not come easily to me. Nonverbal social cues, while instinctual for most people to recognize, baffle me. For this reason and many others, dating while on the spectrum can feel futile. It’s difficult for me to explain to others how differently I view nearly every aspect of life, but I hope that the screenplay I’ve written for this film will accurately depict my experience in a way that others can understand.
Hi, I’m Byron Ruf, director of Soma Ulte. I create visuals to help me process emotions that I can’t put into words. I’ve wanted to escape my mundane town since I was ten. Stuck in suburbia, my imagination runs wild in tales from outer space, adventures in ancient history, and the future of humanity and technology. In the excitement of the unknown, I feel alive in a way I never do at home; in my filmmaking, I aim to create that same kind of thrill for my audience.
Hi, I’m Dylan Lam, director of photography for Soma Ulte. Having DP’ed 10+ short films, I’m eager to lens my first feature film. For me, there is no medium of storytelling more powerful than that of filmmaking. You can live beside characters in real-time as they struggle and triumph. They can make your heart flutter, blow your mind, throw you into fits of laughter, and most importantly, make you feel less alone. And in this mind-bogglingly infinite universe, isn’t that all that really matters?
Soma Ulte symbolizes the way Aidan views his relationship with Blake. The title originates from a meme that Aidan and Blake liked years ago, where the word “soulmate” is misspelled. Blake is the only person Aidan knows who finds this funny, other than himself – Aidan takes this to mean that he and Blake are destined to be together. “Soma Ulte” encapsulates Aidan’s tendency to read into signs that aren’t there, as well as the flawed nature of their relationship.
wHAT THE HECK DOES THE TITLE MEAN?
wE’VE LAUNCHED OUR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN!
We will begin production on Soma Ulte this Summer 2025. The contributions you make will go directly towards cast & crew salaries, lodging, transportation, equipment rental, and catering. No donation is too small. Anything helps!
How far we’ve come
From filming in a drab hotel room to a gorgeous retro diner, we’ve certainly come a long way in our journey of filmmaking. Our films range far and wide, from vibrant teenage comedies to heart-wrenching family dramas, and they’ve had successful festival runs. Feedback from audiences has inspired us to keep pursuing our craft — laughs have been had, tears have been shed. It’s these short films, with their combinations of humor and heartbreak, that have prepared us for the challenge of this feature film.
Soma Ulte is a follow-up to one of our short films. 7 Minutes in the Closet follows the same protagonist (his first name might be different) and has the same comedic tone and naturalistic style of dialogue. Click here to watch the short film here:
Why make this film
A word from our writer:
This story is very personal to me. Although the story and characters are fictional, many of the elements are based on real situations that happened to me or my close friends. The characters draw from real people, dealing with real emotions.
I think LGBT people and neurodivergent people are underrepresented in media, and since I belong to both groups, I have a specific perspective that we don’t often see on the screen. At the same time, the story contains elements that anyone can relate to. The intense feelings of love and rejection are universal. We all have insecurities. The commonality among all people – gay or straight, neurotypical or neurodivergent – is one of the main themes of the film, and is also why I believe audiences will resonate with this story.
With its blend of humor and serious, meaningful character moments, Soma Ulte will entertain audiences while also provoking thoughtful discussions.
Themes from the screenplay
Feeling like an outsider
Loneliness
Romantic rejection and frustration
Learning self-confidence
Human connection
Communication differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent people
The effect of pop culture and media on our lives
Honesty
Being different isn’t always a bad thing :)