The Tuba Thieves

The Tuba Thieves is a documentary and drama that explores a series of thefts targeting tubas in Southern California schools. Rather than focusing on the culprits or the missing instruments, the film uses these events to examine human perception and the way sound is communicated. By mimicking a game of telephone, the story illustrates how information is altered through interpretation and misunderstanding, offering a perspective on deafness and the auditory experience.

This project marks the first feature film from director and screenwriter Alison O'Daniel, who is d/Deaf. The production was supported by several companies, including Chicken & Egg Pictures, Louverture Films, Field of Vision, and JustFilms / Ford Foundation. The cast includes Nyeisha Prince, Russell Harvard, Geovanny Marroquin, Warren Snipe, and Norman Aaronson.

Released on March 15, 2024, the film has a runtime of 92 minutes. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 6.3/10 based on 103 votes.