“They tried to bury me, they didn’t realize I was a seed.” – Sinead O’Connor

Sinead O’Connor

Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 27 – In her debut feature film, Nothing Compares, director Kathryn Ferguson explores the tumultuous early career of singer-songwriter turned pop icon, Sinead O’Connor. The film expertly weaves together a combination of archival footage, cinematic re-enactments, and exclusive audio interviews with a number of prominent activists, experts, and musicians including Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre), Peaches, Chuck D (Public Enemy), and more (including O’Connor herself) to dive into the way O’Connor was portrayed by the media during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

A recurring theme throughout the film is mental health – a theme that feels especially timely, given O’Connor’s recent hospitalization after her son’s death, just weeks before the film’s debut. As a survivor of both physical and emotional abuse, O’Connor always has openly discussed her journey with mental illness over the years. [continue reading…]

Dakota Johnson appears in CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH by Cooper Raiff. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Los Angeles, Jan. 27 – In the first big buy of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Apple has purchased Cooper Raiff’s Cha Cha Real Smooth for $15 million. This feature film, which premiered at the festival, is noteworthy in many ways. The first word that comes to mind when describing Cha Cha Real Smooth is “honest.” Other reviews agree. For example, IndieWire’s David Ehrlich called this film a “disarmingly honest indie about feeling lost in your own life.” Truthfulness emanates from every character. The film follows Andrew (Raiff), a charismatic Bar Mitzvah party starter who quickly befriends Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her middle school-aged autistic daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). Burghardt was authentically cast; this is her first professional production. [continue reading…]

In some African countries, a complete skeleton of albinos can be exchanged for up to $75,000.

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Moïse Togo.

Los Angeles, CA, Jan 24 – “$75,000” is a 14-minute short film that immediately captivates the viewer. Spoken in rhythmic first-person voice overs in the languages of Bamabara, Fon, and Yoruba with English subtitles, the narration is based on actual testimonies collected by writer/director Moïse Togo.

Focusing on the physical and moral conditions of people living with albinism in Africa, Togo said he was touched by the story of a 5-year-old girl with albinism who was kidnapped and killed.

“I felt the need to express myself on this phenomenon,” he said during a Q&A following the international short documentary’s premiere at 2022 Sundance Film Festival. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 21 – With one-in-five people having a disability in the U.S. today, the lack of representation – just 2.3 percent of characters in the 100 top-grossing films of 2019 and 8 percent in family films – means that millions of people are unable to see themselves reflected in media.

The 2022 Sundance Film Festival (January 20 – 30) will provide an opportunity for audiences with various disabilities to see themselves represented – all from the comfort of their homes through the virtual festival site. This year, several films feature disability in the plot, including 892, 75,000, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Chilly and Milly, I Didn’t See You There, and Sharp Stick, among others. [continue reading…]

The most joyous part of celebrating the eight nights of Hanukkah for me each year is reflecting on fond memories. I will forever and always cherish singing with the family and playing with the dreidel. I also cherish the many lessons that I learned from these observances. [continue reading…]

Jacki Edry

I have a dream I would like to share with you. On second thought, it’s not actually a dream. It’s a vision that stems from a deep longing. I am a neurodivergent individual, a survivor of complex brain surgery. I am also a parent of children with neurodiversity – including autism, ADHD, auditory and sensory processing disorders, dyslexia, Irlen syndrome, and more.

Our family has spent many years struggling with non-inclusive or semi-inclusive educational settings and communities. It has been challenging. Despite this, I have tremendous faith that society can become more inclusive and welcoming through awareness and understanding. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, January 13 – When filmmaker Jeremy Hsing set out to create his first short film in the wake of the pandemic, his goal was to create a film that amplified underrepresented voices and destigmatize mental health after a year of unprecedented hate toward the AAPI community. With a majority POC cast and crew combined with a tremendous labor of love, Hsing wrote, directed, and brought Iridescence to life.

Iridescence tells the story of a nuclear Chinese-American family. At the center is Christian, the teenaged son with anxiety who experiences his first panic attack after an argument with his father. As the events unfold, the audience learns that like Christian, his father also experiences anxiety, shedding light on the intergenerational mental health trauma often seen in first-generation AAPI families, yet rarely goes acknowledged. [continue reading…]

Jacquill Moss

Los Angeles, CA, January 12 – RespectAbility’s newest hire Jacquill Moss joins our growing Entertainment team in a newly created position of Entertainment Media Program Coordinator, where he will assist in tracking and coordinating the growing training and consulting requests that come in to the department.

“It’s a blessing to be able to grow, learn and develop new skills while being able to utilize my best qualities,” Moss said.

After being selected through RespectAbility as one of 10 participants of the WarnerMedia Access Early Career Bootcamp in 2021, Moss was recruited for the Entertainment Media Program Coordinator position. [continue reading…]

Molly McConville

Molly McConville (she/her) is a Development Associate at RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. In her work, McConville is responsible for foundation relations, database management, support in development operations and event planning.

McConville graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a minor in Spanish. She participated in the RespectAbility National Leadership Program in Summer 2019 as a Public Policy and Employment Apprentice.

“The Apprenticeship prepared me for the role I am in now because it taught me the ins and outs of working for a nonprofit,” said McConville. “I am more confident writing, advocating, and fundraising because of what I learned during my time as a policy Apprentice.” McConville is still friends with some of the other Apprentices that she worked with during the Summer 2019 cohort. [continue reading…]