UNEnable Film Festival Recap

Yesterday was the International Day for Persons with Disabilities and as part of the United Nations festivities they hosted a short film festival with submissions from around the world. These three were my favourites and below includes their synopsis. They accept submissions each year, so be sure to submit your short video next year to represent Canada! 🙂

Chammi – Hear Me Now (Sri Lanka)

In this film, Chammi, a man with autism/apraxia, responds to the world, which equates his speech disability with “stupidity”. “Just try keeping your mouth shut for a day,” Chammi typed. “Try keeping your mouth shut while they talk about you, telling your mother to put you away in an institution. You want to scream, “No, no, no, but you can’t speak. Fortunately, now there is a way that my voice could be as loud as yours.” Recently, people with the condition been able to share their thoughts with the outer world.

Pikinini Tok Tok: Voices of children with disability (Vanutau)

The story follows Kalo, a young man with disability, as he visits children with various types of disabilities living in remote communities in Vanuatu. Kalo offers us a rare insight into the lives of children with disability and how he enables them to voice their hopes and dreams for the future. The film is in Bislama with English subtitles.

Cal, the Writer (United States)

Cal is a young man with Cerebal Palsy who was told at birth that he would never walk or talk again. Cal is now a freshman in college and a Kennedy Center – award-winning playwright. The film highlights his accomplishments and challenges with stigma.