Steven Ching and Bettina Someros-Ching

Created by Filipino filmmakers Bettina Someros-Ching and Steven Ching, 20/80, a gripping short psychological thriller that delves deep into mental distress and disabilities, made it to the top 15 finalists of the recently concluded 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. From over a hundred and twenty films, 20/80 was one of the films that stood out for its powerful message, astounding cinematography, breathtaking storyline, and overall excellence. The film has also received a nomination for the Best Awareness Award, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, recognizing its impactful representation and advocacy through cinema.

Launched in 2013, the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is an annual competition designed to empower and elevate stories about disability. It provides a platform for filmmakers, with or without disabilities, to showcase creative works that explore the many facets of disability representation. Moreover, participants must write, shoot, and edit a film within five days, with a total runtime of five to six minutes, including credits. All work must be completed with volunteer crews, highlighting the spirit of community, advocacy, and passion. 

Steven got the idea of joining this film challenge through RJ Mitte, an actor with cerebral palsy who played Walter Jr. in the award-winning American series, Breaking Bad. He shared, “As you can imagine, in California, the competition in the film industry is extremely tough, and especially more, I feel like, for a person with a disability, because you either get unconscious biases where you get overlooked as a candidate, or you need to be networked deeply within the industry to get more work. So I talked to RJ, and I asked him if he could give me any advice. As a person, an actor, and filmmaker with a disability, how can I do more work, and he suggested checking out the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge that they do annually, and he's worked with their organizers before and ever since... Who am I to turn down good advice? And here we are today.”

The film mainly started with Bettina’s words of encouragement: “Babe, I know somewhere in there you have an amazing story.” 20/80 follows Steven, the main character, who’s captured by a mysterious person who takes him on three time-constrained and high-stakes challenges, each more intense than the last. Bettina shared, “I would say the main takeaway of the film is to touch people's heart, to extend empathy and grace to everyone they meet, with disability or without, but the film mainly revolves on mental health and Steven's lived experiences that we were able to convey in a different way using psycho psychological thriller as the genre.”

The story was mainly inspired by the real-life experiences of the lead actor, Steven, as a person living with blindness in one eye and with limited to no vision in the other. “People with disabilities have been proven to be five times more likely to deal with mental distress, and that's essentially the kind of story dynamics we implemented within the film,” Steven told Metro.Style.

Steven, being in the film industry for quite a while, made his acting debut in 20/80, and according to him, it’s the bravest he’s ever done. “It's honestly the most vulnerable I’ve ever been with any of my work,” Steven shared. He also served as the writer and producer of the film, grounding the storyline in his own lived experiences as someone navigating life with a disability.

Growing up with a visual impairment was never easy for Steven, but the unwavering support of those around him made all the difference. He has been fortunate to have a strong support system throughout his life, starting with his parents, then his best friend Simon, and later, his wife Bettina, who all stood by him through every challenge. 

Proudly, Bettina shared, “Steven has been a really great partner and support. And, although he has a disability, I can confidently say that he can do things independently; I’m just here as a support. But most of the time, Steven drives himself to work, goes to gigs in LA and to different places, and he's just been striving in the industry where you're supposed to be really visually capable, but he's breaking the norm when he's doing it.” 

Stepping in front of the camera and embracing vulnerability were hard for Steven, but having Bettina by his side gave him the confidence and support he needed to push through and deliver a powerful performance. He said, “It would be hard for me to trust anyone with my first time acting, because my biggest worry is I don't want to look silly, I don't want to look dumb in front of the camera because it's just a matter of a director who doesn't even watch the screen or doesn't care about performances… And Bettina and I, we watch a lot of movies and we are really critical because we want to get better, so we'll watch things and we'll see things and Bettina will point out performance bits in movies where I don't even notice. So, with that, I really trusted Bettina's vision when it comes to monitoring performances.” Steven shared that even when they were still dating, Bettina wasn’t afraid to offer constructive feedback on his work, a gesture he deeply appreciated. Her honesty and insight helped him grow creatively and strengthened his trust in her over time.

While Bettina has been a constant source of support for Steven, their partnership is strengthened by mutual encouragement. It was actually Steven who first introduced Bettina to the world of filmmaking, which eventually led to 20/80, her directorial debut. Before stepping into the cinema, Bettina spent over a decade building a career in marketing. Filmmaking wasn’t part of her goal at first, but after meeting Steven, she discovered a new creative outlet that merged storytelling with purpose. In the process of her directorial debut, she told Metro.Style, “I was dealing a lot with impostor syndrome, and especially we were able to gather a crew of industry professionals here in California, and I, as a newcomer, first-time director, it's really intimidating at first, and everyone's looking at me for leadership… I didn't come from a film background, but I've always had a fascination for film, but it was not until I married Steven that I really got to explore that side of me... For my directorial debut, I really couldn't imagine it with anyone else but my husband. He really held my hand.”

It truly seems that Steven and Bettina have always been destined for each other. A few years ago, they matched on a dating app. Born and raised in the U.S., Steven was in the Philippines for a vacation when he decided to try a dating app, where he matched and met Bettina, who was then working in a hotel. They agreed to meet and eventually shared great conversations, some of which were about street food. What started as a casual meet-up quickly turned into something deeper. 

Bettina moved to the U.S. and eventually married Steven, his "perfect match," as she and her friends say. Together, they've grown not only as partners in life but also as collaborators in art. Their powerful bond and creative teamwork led to 20/80, which marked both Bettina’s directorial debut and Steven’s first role as a lead actor. Now recognized as a finalist in the prestigious 2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, the couple is earning praise not just for their talent but for their mission to serve, to inspire, and to share meaningful stories that break barriers and spark empathy.

Their collaboration on 20/80 was not just a testament to their shared vision but also to the strength of their relationship as collaborators and a couple. Bettina shared, “We just have to have the reason to make it and also the platform to show it to the world, and we're just really grateful that we're reaching so many people, so many hearts. This film is his first film, and it just so happens to be part of Easterseals, and we're just really grateful for the reception we've been receiving.” And from this, they are committed to doing more.

If you're looking for a film that will move you and challenge your perspective, 20/80 is a must-watch. It’s more than just a short film; it’s Steven and Bettina's life, vision, and shared advocacy for raising empathy and awareness.

Photos courtesy of Bettina Someros-Ching