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
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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
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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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SQIFF Accessibility Guide for Exhibitors

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

Crip Tales

A life-changing moment is captured in six powerful, dramatic monologues. Written, directed and performed by disabled people and curated by Mat Fraser.

A History of Disability: from 1050 to the Present Day

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

How to look for records of… Disability history

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.

Disabled Britain on Film

This diverse and fascinating collection looks at representations of disabled people on screen over the past ten decades. It offers a glimpse into the lives and experiences of people often hidden from screen history, and a chance to see how contemporary disabled artists and filmmakers are insisting that their own images and voices must be … More