Why Disability Film Fests ROCK

By Mike Reynolds
Uppity Disability dot net
As a disabled activist, I have been granted a tremendous amount of opportunities that I would never have had I been, dare I say it, able-bodied?

I’ve run a website for over a decade, produced two films and written for a number of publications. I have screened my films at national conferences and had the opportunity to work with amazing, brilliant and committed activists on a wide range of disability, civil rights, and to a lesser extent queer politics and independent media.

But there seems to be a void – The need for a “disability cultural experience.” I don’t mean going to conferences, or reading all the major websites and blogs. I mean a revolution in the way we look at our identity. Other minority cultures have successfully made the leap from marginalization by the mainstream to solid minority identity. One only has to look at the proliferation of film festivals by other minorities to see troubling facts.

There are literally dozens of gay and lesbian film festivals, and as an out gay male, I would like to think that my work would be accepted in the genre, but, really, right now – it doesn’t translate –My first film was not at all geared to a broad audience. My current film is a bit more accessible. But how many disability film festivals are there?

In the US – there are currently 3. Superfest is run out of Berkeley CA, and gets the major hitters like PBS submitting films. That’s not exactly pleasing for a disabled filmmaker with a camera, tripod and video editing software. There is a second festival in New York, but the details escape me at the moment. The final film fest, where an excerpt of my film, Million Dollar Bigot will screen tonight is the Reel Life Film Festival held near Detroit, MI.

A production of Susan Fitzmaurice, it is one of the few outlets for disability specific films to be seen. While there are dozens of say, gay and lesbian film festivals, where directors can sort of garner a buzz before trying to submit to a major independent film fest, like Sundance. Without that cultural structure in place, and with prevailing attitudes in our culture that already marginalize disabled voices, The Reel Life Festival is not only a needed resource, it is literally a lifeline for indie crip filmmakers who do not want “permission” to voice their opinion on video. Reel Life and the other film festivals are providing an essential service – giving disability filmmakers an outlet where a under funded film probably done late at night on the same computer that is also responsible for reporting, writing or research. In other words – the filmmakers who look for tapes on clearance so they can film their masterpiece for the world to see.

Susan Fitzmaurice is a true pioneer and hopefully will be noted as such in the annuals of disability culture. Besides this groundbreaking festival, she has led the dissemation of information for victims of Hurricane Katrina on the Internet. She has recently received an Advocate of the Year award from the World Institute on disability, as well as running numerous other websites, and living a full life. It is folks like Susan Fitzmaurice that gives this crip indie film dork hope that disability perspectives will possibly be less than a marginalized voice in the media.

supreme court action - a review...and rant...

I received word from Carrie Lucas that the disability activists totally outnumbered the pro death (and that IS what they are, it is rather pathetic, if I do say so.) by about 4 to 1. I listened to compassion in dying's briefing (it was free and advertised) They just seem so full of themselves.

Lets review the facts.
1. The last assisted suicide referendum was lost. After they paid millions of dollars to lobby for it's passage. They have been saying 80 percent of the public favors assisted suicide. Hrmm, I guess it is easy to bullshit the public when they are uninformed. Or Maine doesn't count????

2. The highest suicide rate for individuals in Oregon is elderly men. Hrmm, probably folks who lose bladder control after prostate cancer, have little or underfunded insurance, and dont want to be burdens to their families. Incontinence is never really spoken about in the US. In Europe, there is free medical care, and surprisingly good products for the issue. The final point is that isnt it easier for a doctor to sign a death with dignity script than have to worry about HMO quotas, medicare repayments or insurance payments?

3. Barbara Coombs Lee used to head a HMO. Creepy isnt it? She, Peter Singer and George Felos (Michael Schiavo's attorney) are the creepiest individuals i have seen. that doesn't have much to do with anything. more info soon.

[assisted suicide]
[disability]

NDY Day of Action 10-5-05

10-05-05

A Day of Action at the Supreme Court

On a bitterly cold day in January, 1997, hundreds of disability rights
activist plowed upon the Supreme Court to oppose the legalization of assisted
suicide. It was my first national action and it still is one of my favorite
memories. I couldn't make it to DC, (blame fatigue, but also there was a
severe stoppage on amtrak yesterday, so I would have probably missed it
anyway.)

More info soon - check the blogger link up top.

and ck out not dead yet.

looking for our previous update? Wanna buy our
new DVD?

For Disability related infoon ways to help the Katrina victims,
please check out Susan Fitzmaurices website

Katrinadisability.info