https://youtu.be/bhQBfEvAQe4 Principal Matters, a short film directed and produced by F. Carl Hansen and written by Natalie D’Alicio, follows the story of two high school teachers, Lydia, played by RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumna and an associate producer of the film Diana Elizabeth Jordan, and Sofia, played by D’Alicio, who are trying to fight back against [click to continue...]
https://youtu.be/ec6MUM1VUlk Open to Interpretation is a delightful five-minute dark comedy sketch that introduces us to Jeremy Stone, a Black Deaf comedian played by Harold Foxx, and his amusing interactions with his ASL interpreter. The film sheds light on the challenges of communication within the deaf community, skillfully weaving humor and insight into its narrative. One [click to continue...]
https://youtu.be/rKZOJGOMC6k This year’s theme for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC) is buddy comedy. However, filmmaker Krista Villatoro, an alumna of the 2021 RespectAbility Entertainment and News Media Fellowship, takes a unique approach with this theme by making her buddy absent in the film. No Sabo is a short film about Villatoro’s adventures, or lack [click to continue...]
https://youtu.be/DAk1SFdBs-U In his most recent Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC) entry, Twin Perspectives, Nader Bahu does it all – from writer, director, and producer to editor and star. The film follows a conversation between twin brothers, both played by Bahu, having a conversation on their experience with their disability. Bahu, who is a 2022 Warner [click to continue...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CbUPzq-CwM Roma Murphy has written a variety of content – from short-form comedic digital content to children’s animation – but when working on others’ projects, she was asked to write nondisabled characters. As a writer for Easterseals Disability Film Challenge’s One Night Stand, Murphy had the opportunity to go in a new direction. “This is [click to continue...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfp9sck915I Disabled AF features a list of talented collaborators – including disabled actors and crew – who come together to bring a unique and beautiful story to life. The well-executed themes of overcoming family dynamics, understanding the character’s motivations, and the topic of disabilities are on full display in this entry for the Easterseals Disability [click to continue...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73pWWth9fsM As she has done for several years, Rachel Handler (she/her) once again brings an intriguing selection that takes us beyond the surface for the 2024 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Handler, a 2020 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumna, wrote, starred in, and produced Best Friends FOREVER. This short film cheekily captures the experience of a disabled working actor and [click to continue...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzTkKlDUhoI In the new short film Ableist Watching, two disabled friends, Abby (Emily Kranking) and Willow (Gabrielle Zwi), watch over an accessible parking spot and confront any non-disabled person who parks there. However, rather than being apologetic or remorseful when the suspects are caught, they give excuses or antagonize Abby and Willow. In one scene, [click to continue...]
