The Rose Man of Omaha, A Filmmaker’s Journey

January 19th, 2026

David Weiss did not plan to become a filmmaker. For years, he was known as a landscape painter, with his work shown in galleries across the country. Art was his full time life, until the financial crisis of 2008 changed everything.

When the economy collapsed, galleries began to close. One by one, the places that showed Weiss’s paintings disappeared. Suddenly, the path he had followed for years was no longer there. Looking for a new direction, Weiss enrolled in a video production class at Metro Community College. That decision would reshape his life.

The class introduced him to filmmaking, and something clicked right away. Weiss realized he could still be an artist, but now through moving images and real stories. He began making short films, working with local advertising agencies, and traveling internationally. One project took him to Haiti, where he documented child slavery, deepening his interest in stories that often go unseen.

Back in Omaha, inspiration came from a familiar face. Weiss often saw a man selling roses on street corners and outside restaurants. The man, known by many as the Rose Man, always seemed serious and distant. Weiss had bought roses from him before, but he could not stop wondering who he was beyond those brief encounters.

That curiosity became the starting point for Weiss’s latest documentary, The Rose Man of Omaha. The film follows Dean, the man behind the roses, and reveals a life far more complex than appearances suggest. Over the course of two years, Weiss gained Dean’s trust and learned that he is autistic, which explains why he expresses emotion differently than most people expect.

As the filming continued, the story grew deeper. Dean memorizes thousands of birthdays, studies genealogy, and finds meaning in numerology. What began as a short film idea turned into a full length documentary that challenges assumptions and invites empathy.

The film has already made a strong impact. The Rose Man of Omaha has won awards at film festivals in New York and Atlanta, and it sold out two screenings at the Omaha Film Festival. More importantly, it has sparked conversations about judgment, visibility, and understanding within the local community.

The documentary screens February fifth at Film Streams in Dundee, offering Omaha audiences another chance to experience the story. Weiss hopes to bring the film to streaming platforms by summer. As for what comes next, he says he is staying open, listening closely for the next story that needs to be told.