On the Representation of Disabled Women in Cinema
Hollywood just doesn’t seem interested in telling unique disabled stories in general, and the only narrative they do regards men who become disabled.
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.
Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings
Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, dementia-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings
Hollywood just doesn’t seem interested in telling unique disabled stories in general, and the only narrative they do regards men who become disabled.
At Into Film we recognise cinema’s power for social, cultural and academic enrichment, and believe every child and young person has the right to access it. Tomorrow marks International Day of People with Disabilities (3 December), and as some cinema venues reopen their doors this week, we are taking this moment to voice our support … More
Matchbox Cineclub held two brilliant sessions on captioning as part of the Film Hub Scotland Access Forum. This is Session 2: Practical Subtitling If you have any questions about captioning, from cost to practicalities of work you can’t undertake yourself, then please get in touch with Megan and Sean (matchboxcine@gmail.com)
Matchbox Cineclub held two brilliant sessions on captioning as part of the Film Hub Scotland Access Forum. This is Session 1: Principles of Subtitling If you have any questions about captioning, from cost to practicalities of work you can’t undertake yourself, then please get in touch with Megan and Sean (matchboxcine@gmail.com)
The Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) is a not-for-profit festival founded in 2015. As well as their annual film festival, they undertake year-round work including events, archive programming and advice and support for the exhibition sector. They have produced the SQIFF Deaf and Disabled Accessibility Guide, intended for use by film exhibitors of any … More
A life-changing moment is captured in six powerful, dramatic monologues. Written, directed and performed by disabled people and curated by Mat Fraser.
Disability in Time and Place reveals how disabled people’s lives are integral to the heritage all around us. From leper chapels built in the 1100s to protests about accessibility in the 1980s, the built environment is inextricably linked to the stories of disabled people, hidden and well-known. This section serves as an invitation to those … More
On the heels of Woodstock, a group of teen campers are inspired to join the fight for disability civil rights. This spirited look at grassroots activism is executive produced by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
This is a brief guide to researching records of disability. For the purpose of this guide, disability is taken to include all types of sensory or physical impairment, including chronic health conditions and the long-term effects of war wounds. Deafness and blindness are also covered as these have historically been treated as disabilities.