Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto

After months of work and collaboration with over 200 disabled people and activists from across Wales, Disability Wales are delighted to launch Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto this International Day of Disabled People! The manifesto highlights many key areas for advancing equality for disabled people as well as offering policy solutions. The manifesto … More

International Day of People with Disabilities is the annual celebration of people with disabilities. This year On 3 December 2024, the theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.”

We call on domestic and international public health officials, political representatives, advocates, supporters, and every citizen in every community, to learn from the experiences of disabled people, and push for more meaningful investments into the socioeconomic building blocks which will reduce the barriers faced by people with disabilities in every community.

Disabled representation in cinema continues to be a struggle, as we see very few authentic depictions that don’t play to the hero or tragedy tropes so often associated with disability on screen. Our ask of the film sector is to see more varied characters and stories about disability, to hire more disabled talent into production, distribution and exhibition roles in film, and to support any workers with access needs with compassion and care, so they can progress and have jobs for life in the industry.

As regards exhibition, at Inclusive Cinema, we seek to see as many subtitled, audio-described and relaxed screenings made available across the UK for those with access requirements as there are for those without access requirements.

Useful sources for accessible screenings

Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings

Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, dementia-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings

Resources

The BFI FAN: Access Directory
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ICO: How do I make my cinema inclusive and accessible?
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Weird Weekend: Providing Audio Description in Non-Theatrical Cinema Spaces
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Sidecard [film access materials database]
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SQIFF Accessibility Guide for Exhibitors
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Deaf and Disabled access in film exhibition
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Access schemes
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Subtitling, BSL and Audio Description services
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7 Documentaries to Watch After Crip Camp
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Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto
read more
Report: Online forum - Expanding online access to the arts for disabled people
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The White Pube investigates: the impact of using social media
read more
Cinema Provision In Wales For Families With Disabled Children
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Being Disabled In Britain - A Journey Less Equal
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Centering Disabled Arts and Audiences
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Planning and Access for Disabled people: A Good Practice Guide
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The Fringe Guide to Adapting Events for Deaf and Disabled Audiences
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UKCA's CEA Card
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Using A Range Of Communication Channels To Reach Disabled People
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Accessibility in cinemas: Are cinemas playing fair?
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Access Guide - Ensuring your venues and events are open to all
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Learning Disabled Representation
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Supporting employees who are deaf or have hearing loss to thrive at work
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Battersea Arts Centre relaunches as world’s first fully relaxed venue
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The Seven Principles for an Inclusive Recovery
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“South Asian Heritage Month runs from 18th July to 17th August every year. It seeks to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and history in the UK through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain and improve social cohesion across the country. It had its inaugural year in 2020.  The Month is a grassroots movement that has been driven by the lived experiences of the founders and others in being British South Asian.

South Asian Heritage Month is about reclaiming the history and identity of British South Asians. People need to be able to tell their own stories, and this is an opportunity to show what it means to be South Asian in the 21st century, as well as look to the past to see how Britain became the diverse country it is today. “

More information about the month, its founders and activities can be found here. 

Read below for ideas on screenings and films.

South Asian Heritage Month LGBTQIA Special

Migration Matters

Every third week in June during what is known nationally as Refugee Week, Migration Matters Festival ‘Britain’s largest festival about Sanctuary and refugees in the country’ (The New Internationalist, 2017) returns to Sheffield in a festival that creates a platform to champion the voices of people who are so often muted, pigeon-holed into labels and … More