So often we see people with disabilities as people who are suffering, and that’s if we even see them at all. Disabled people are rarely given center stage and rarely made the subject of any story. That makes the times that they are given a chance to have their story told, or even better, to tell it themselves, especially important.
In recent years there does seem to have been a more concerted effort to give disabled actors a chance. Sometimes disabled actors appear in roles not written as disabled, which is a welcome change. Many of us learn about the disabled community through documentary films. There are also some dramatic films about disabled people that, while they often are played by able-bodied actors, still have stories worth telling. Here are some stories, both real and dramatized, about real people with disabilities that should not be overlooked.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
A story about a summer camp specifically for the disabled that began in the 1970s transforms into a story about fighting for massive political change for the disabled. Today we have the Americans with Disabilities Act and many laws in place to help ensure disabled people can live full lives, in large part because of the work these people did. Crip Camp is equal parts touching and hilarious. There’s a reason this documentary was nominated for an Oscar.
You can watch Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution on Netflix or for free on YouTube.
Then Barbara Met Alan
Then Barbara Met Alan tells the story of two disabled cabaret performers, Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth. The pair meet and fall in love, and go on to co-found the Disabled People's Direct Action Network together.
Rather than being a documentary Then Barbara Met Alan is a scripted film. It's ultimately a rom-com that just so happens to focus on disabled characters. Considering how rare it is to see a romantic story featuring disabled people, never mind a movie that's willing to, when appropriate, laugh at disability, this one is especially fun. The movie also uses primarily disabled actors, including Ruth Madeley as Barbara.
Watch Then Barabara Met Alan On Netflix.
A Space In Time
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the most severe forms of the condition. Most who have it are unlikely to make it to their 40s. It makes seeing a child with the condition heartbreaking. And yet, A Space in Time is a celebration of life, not a mourning of death as the documentary looks at one family and their journey through life with a child suffering from it.
Watch A Space in Time On Tubi.
Hearing Is Believing
Rachel Flowers was born 15 weeks premature and she quickly lost her eyesight. What the young girl lost, however, is nothing compared to the abilities she has. Flowers has perfect pitch and as a child was able to recreate music after simply hearing it. From there she has built a successful music career.
While Flowers certainly isn't the first blind musician, Hearing is Believing provides a unique look at somebody with incredible talent very early in what is likely to be a very long and successful career.
Watch Hearing Is Believing On Tubi or YouTube.
Murderball
A disability may prevent some people from participating in certain activities, but Murderball shows us how much those who are disabled can still do, and it can be brutal. The documentary follows the U.S. and Canadian rugby teams preparing for the 2004 Paralympic Games. It’s funny, it’s touching, and it’s exciting as these rugby teams get just as physical as any able-bodied players can get.
Watch Murderball on Prime Video or Peacock.
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Nominated for four Academy Awards, the critically acclaimed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is adapted from the memoir of journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby and his experience following a stroke. A significant portion of the film is shot from a first-person point of view, trying to show the audience what it’s like from the perspective of the person who feels trapped inside their own body.
Rent or Buy The Diving Bell And The Butterfly On Prime Video.
My Beautiful Broken Brain
While many disabilities are present from birth, others come on later. My Beautiful Broken Brain is a documentary about Lotje Sodderland, who suffered a stroke at the age of 34. After initially losing the ability to read, write, or speak, the documentary is told by Sodderland, as she begins to try and relearn the skills she has lost and find her life again. It also includes the friendship she formed with director David Lynch, who co-produced the film with her.
Watch My Beautiful Broken Brain on Netflix.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
The story of Michael J. Fox and his battle with Parkinson’s Disease may be well known, but hearing about it from the actor himself will certainly enlighten you on what has been a decades-long fight for him. Part documentary and part dramatic reenactment, Still tells an inspiring story of somebody who was once one of the biggest stars in the world and is now inspiring to millions more.
Watch Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie on Apple TV+.
My Left Foot
Daniel Day-Lewis won his first of three Best Actor Oscars for his portrayal of Christy Brown, a writer, and artist with cerebral palsy. Brown was born without the ability to control his limbs except for his left foot, leading him to devise his own way of living and creating.
My Left Foot doesn't sugarcoat disability. So often people with disability in film are treated with kid gloves, perhaps to avoid offense. Day-Lewis' performance shows that people with disabilities are just as flawed as everybody else. Overcoming adversity is an achievement worthy of celebration, but it doesn't make you perfect.
Watch My Left Foot On Prime Video.
Disability can be a difficult topic for many to discuss, but that only makes it more important that we do so. By telling stories not simply about disabled people, but about real people living with disability, we can educate everybody on what they are truly capable of.
