By David-Elijah Nahmod
July 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of life, including employment, schools and public transit, as well as in any spaces that are open to the public. WORLD Channel, a digital subchannel available through many PBS television stations, is celebrating the passing of the ADA by presenting five films that tell the stories of individuals who live with various types of disabilities. Each film presents a different individual narrative of someone working through various challenges to achieve their goals.
In addition to the airings on WORLD Channel, these films will also stream on WORLD Channel’s website. The films are part of the WORLD Channel series America Reframed. WORLD Channel Executive Producer Chris Hastings spoke to The Disability Tribune about what inspired the channel to commemorate the ADA.
Celebrating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
“Every July at WORLD Channel, we focus on a theme of democracy, looking at how everyday people participate in civic life,” Hastings said. “This year, as we look ahead toward the national election, we wanted to shine a light on how democracy intersects with diversity.”
Hastings pointed out that diversity is a large umbrella that includes people of differing ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as persons with disabilities.
“The ADA anniversary offers a great opportunity to remind people that when we talk about participation in our democracy, when we celebrate democracy, we need to ensure everyone is included,” he said.
Hastings is pleased by the selection of films that are airing, adding that each film offers a window into the lives of people with disabilities.
“I hope when viewers see the films, they will walk away with an understanding that everyone’s life is not the same and we are all dealing with different circumstances,” he said. “Yet, at the end of the day, we are all reaching towards similar things — a good life.”
5 movies about disabilities to watch
The five films share stories from a wide frame of different types of disabilities, including:
- America Reframed: Vision Portraits (aired July 4) — Award-winning director Rodney Evans takes viewers on a very personal journey as he wonders how the deterioration of his eyesight will affect his work as a filmmaker. Along the way, he chats with blind and low-vision artists: a photographer, a dancer and a writer. Evans illustrates how their work has flourished even after facing access barriers.
- America Reframed: Enter the Faun (aired July 7) — This film is the result of a two-year collaboration between choreographer Tamar Rogoff and Gregg Mozgala, a young actor with cerebral palsy. Together they challenge the limitations often associated with disability.
- America Reframed: Deej (aired July 14) — This is the story of DJ Savarese, a young writer and advocate for non-speaking people with autism. Once considered “profoundly disabled,” the film follows DJ’s first year of college as he takes a stand for others like him.
- America Reframed: Intelligent Lives (aired July 21) — This film follows the lives of three young adults with intellectual disabilities who work towards building a future for themselves that includes inclusion and independence. They do so with the support of family, friends, educators and colleagues. The film is narrated by the Oscar-winning actor Chris Cooper, who shares the story of his late son Jesse in order to illustrate that a person’s potential can reach beyond rigid IQ tests.
- America Reframed: Perfectly Normal for Me (airs July 28 at 8 p.m. EST) — This film follows the lives of four kids, ages 5 to 15, as they reveal what it’s like to live with physical disabilities. The parents seek out nurturing opportunities where the kids feel accepted and valued, from clinical services to an after-school dance program. With the dedication of parents, teenage volunteer helpers, choreographers and physical therapists, differently abled students prepare and perform in an exciting dance recital.
Where to watch
In addition to the airings on WORLD Channel, the films can also be viewed online at the channel’s Watch page at https://worldchannel.org/watch/.
There will also be a Vision Portraits event on Zoom on Monday July 27 at 7 p.m. EST.
“The event will include screenings of select scenes as well as a conversation with Rodney Evans, the director of the film,” said Hastings. “Evans produced the film to foster understanding about how those who are blind or have low vision create art. Evans himself is facing partial vision loss, allowing him a unique perspective on the content of the film. He will also be talking with some of the artists that were featured in the film.”
Interested parties can register for the Zoom event at: https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i6kp363nQ86nf8HSX5OKjA
In addition to the feature films, WORLD Channel will share a programming collection that curates documentaries and programs from across public media stations.
“The collection will feature a series of short films and specials on topics about disabilities, including a forum on how COVID is affecting people with disabilities,” Hastings said. “There will be a special on the history of the ADA in Iowa, and a series of short films highlighting different aspects of life of people with disabilities. Each piece of content will come from a different public media station that is part of the Move to Include initiative.”
The collection will be shared on July 26, which is 30 years to the day that the ADA was signed into law.
“We saw the 30th anniversary of the ADA as a chance to highlight the incredible work being produced on a local level by public media stations across the country about people with disabilities,” said Hastings. “We want to amplify both the content and the work of these stations by showcasing it nationally on WORLD Channel.”
For more information, please visit the channel’s website at https://worldchannel.org/ or its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WORLDChannel/.
Photo: Director of Vision Portraits, Rodney Evans; Photo by Kjerstin Rossi