As a quadriplegic, filmmaker Noah Currier set out to tell a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Sum Function follows a group of friends, all living with severe physical disabilities, as they confront battles more personal than war itself—on and off the wheelchair rugby court. At its core, this is a film about resilience, connection, and the power of community in a world not built for the disabled.
Noah Currier is a Marine Corps veteran, quadriplegic, and first-time filmmaker whose life and work have been defined by an unrelenting refusal to quit. Just three days after returning home from combat, and at only 21 years of age, a car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Refusing to accept a life on the sidelines, Noah founded the Oscar Mike Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping injured veterans on the move through adaptive sports and community. Under his leadership, Oscar Mike has grown into a national movement that has — and will continue to — change lives for veterans and others living with disabilities. Sum Function marks Noah’s debut as a filmmaker — a story told from inside the community it represents. With raw authenticity and punk-rock roots, he brings a unique perspective as both director and subject and proves that disability does not end the fight — it changes the arena.
Co-director of Sum Function, Nick Cavalier and longtime friend to Noah, brings an artful filmmaker’s eye to complement Noah’s lived experience. Together, they balance raw vérité footage with crafted cinematic moments, shaping a film that is both emotionally authentic and visually powerful.
Here is Noah Currier's Director Statement:
This is my first film. As a Marine Corps veteran and quadriplegic, I never expected to be a filmmaker — but I knew I had a story that needed to be told from the inside. In Iraq, when war was breaking out around us, I told my Marines: “Don’t you see the cameras? They’re filming a movie, and you get to choose your character.” That way of thinking carried me through the darkest years of my life. Sum Function is proof that even when the world breaks you, you can still choose who you want to be — and build something bigger than yourself. Together with my co-director and longtime friend, Nick Cavalier, we created a film that captures both the chaos and the beauty of this journey. It is not a story of pity. It’s a raw account of my teammates and fellow disabled veterans, who are battling on the court and in life. Our stories are messy, jarring, and painful — but also disarmingly human.
Sum Function screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on Saturday, February 14, 2026 – Online for 24 Hours beginning at midnight Eastern USA time on this day. Get more info and buy tickets here.
The 44th Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between January 23-February 22, 2026. The Festival will be a hybrid one as we will be presenting it online as well as doing in-person screenings at Rutgers University. Most of the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VOD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person when both are offered. The in-person screenings will be held in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ beginning at 5PM or 7PM on their show date. General Admission Ticket=$15 Per Program; In-Person Only Student Ticket=$10 Per Program. For more info on the Film festival go here: https://newjerseyfilmfestivalspring2026.eventive.org/welcome
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