A small body is thrown out the window of a two-story house, followed by shrieks of horror. Has there been an accident? No — the “small body” is actually a dummy and this is the set of a murder mystery project conceived by Oliver, an imaginative preteen who relishes the storytelling process, from directing actors to mixing food coloring and creating fake blood.

A rambunctious 12 year old growing up with disabilities, Oliver is often spirited and always creative, using his archive of murder mystery books to craft stories, aided by his parents Casey and Chad, as well as his younger sister Willa. Casey and Chad work hard to create a grounded upbringing for Oliver and Willa, determinedly dealing with Oliver’s extensive medical bills and his physical therapy needs, all while Oliver’s exuberance and passion for storytelling never dissipates. With Oliver’s teenage years approaching, however, a range of new complex feelings begin to surface… as he begins to craft an ambitious murder mystery caper alongside his family and circle of friends.

In Kids Like Me, co-directors Cynthia Lowen (Battleground, TF22) and Jon Cohrs capture an endearing portrait of an ingenious boy navigating limitations through his soaring imagination — resulting in a sensitive, big-hearted (and funny!) coming-of-age story.—Jose Rodriguez