By Mabel Pais

The ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York returns for its 14th annual event, April 7-13, 2022 organized and hosted by The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (MMJCCM) located at 334 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023.

It is  the largest festival in the U.S. dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. It is a completely hybrid event – in person and virtual – at the JCC Manhattan and across New York City, April 7-13.

OPENING NIGHT

The festival’s Opening Night selection is Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano’s acclaimed film THE SPECIALS, starring Vincent Cassel, Reda Kateb, Helene Vincent, and Brian Mialoundama. It will screen April 7th, at 7 pm at the IAC Screening Room located at 555 W. 18th Street NY 10011, co-presented by Vimeo. Q&A with special guests from the film, follows.

CLOSING NIGHT

The Closing Night film will be the New York premiere of Brian Malone and Regan Linton’s documentary IMPERFECT, which follows an award-winning theater group consisting of actors who live and perform with the uniqueness of disability as they set out to claim their place in the spotlight with a production of the beloved musical “Chicago.” Following these actors’ lives inside and outside the theater, curtains are drawn open to overlooked talent and the power of the human condition in its many forms. It will screen on April 13th at 7 pm at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.

FESTIVAL LINEUP

AMAZING GRACE

Dir. Lynn Montgomery l United States | 55 min | Documentary

Disabilities Represented: Acute Flaccid Myelitis/Quadriplegia, Guillain-Barre syndrome/Paraplegia

ANY GIVEN DAY

Dir. Margaret Byrne l United States | 93 min | Documentary

Disabilities Represented: Mental illness

HERE. IS. BETTER.

Dir. Jack Youngelson l United States | 95 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: PTSD

IMPERFECT l CLOSING NIGHT

Dir.  Brian Malone, Regan Linton l United States | 78 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Paralysis, Cerebral Palsy, Blindness, Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, Polio

ME TO PLAY

Dir. Jim Bernfield l United States | 72 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Parkinson’s disease

MOVE ME

Dir. Kelsey Peterson, Daniel Klein l United States | 81 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Spinal cord injury/disorder

NO BONE: SCARS OF SURVIVAL

Dir. Marc Schiller l UK | 90 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Stroke victim

ONLY I CAN HEAR

Dir. Matsui Itaru l Japan | 54 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Children of Deaf Adults

POPPY

Dir. Linda Niccol l New Zealand | 98 min | Narrative

Disabilities represented: Down syndrome

THE BLIND MAN WHO DID NOT WANT TO SEE TITANIC

 Dir. Teemu Nikki l Finland | 81 min | Narrative

Disabilities represented: Multiple sclerosis, Blindness

THE OTHER TOM

Dir. Rodrigo Pla, Laura Santullo l Mexico | 111 min | Narrative

Disabilities represented: ADHD

THE SPECIALS | OPENING NIGHT

Dir. Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano l France, Belgium | 114 min | Narrative

Disabilities represented: Autism

SHORT FILMS

6,000 WAITING

Dir. Michael Joseph McDonald l United States | 29 min | Documentary

Disability represented: Down syndrome, Autism

A CRITTER FABLE

Dir. Grace Fisher l United States | 8 min | Animation

Disability represented: Down syndrome, Autism

A MORNING WITH AROHA

Dir. Nicholas Riini l New Zealand | 11 min | Narrative

Type of disability: Down syndrome

HOLD ON TO ME

Dir. Luca Arcidiacono l Italy | 20 min | Narrative

Disability represented: Down syndrome

AIMEE VICTORIA

Dir. Chrystee Pharris l United States | 11 min

Disability represented: Deafness

BEAT LINGO

Dir. Jose Navas l United States | 16 min | Narrative

Disability represented: Mutism

BEAUTIFUL

Dir. Mulan Fu l United States | 6 min | Animation

Disability represented: Breast cancer

BORDERLINE COFFEE

Dir. Jeff Ayars l United States | 10 min | Short

Disability represented: Borderline personality disorder

DAVEY’S LULLABY

Dir. Adam Douglas Deyoe l United States | 9 min | Animation

Disability represented: Down syndrome

DAWN

Dir. Timon Birkhofer l United States | 5 min | Documentary

Disabilities represented: Five different physical disabilities

DWARFO-PSYCHOSIS

Dir. Maria DiDomenico l United States | 5 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Dwarfism

FREEBIRD

Dir. Michael Joseph McDonald, Joe Bluhm l Canada | 5 min | Animation

Disability represented: Down syndrome

ILLUSTRATING SAM NEWTON

Dir. Lily Drummond l United States | 28 min | Narrative short

Disability represented: Deafness

LOUIS’ SHOES

Dir. Théo Jamin, Kayu Leung, Marion Philippe, Jean-Géraud Blanc

France | 5 min | Animation

Disability represented: Autism

LOCKDOWN TALE

Dir. Cameron Carr, Marie Trudolubova l United Kingdom | 6 min | Animation

Disability represented: Autism

MY OWN LANDSCAPES

Dir. Antoine Chapon l United States | 19 min | Documentary

Disability represented: PTSD

NICK LIGHTNING

Dir. Pat Taggart l United States | 27 min | Documentary

Disability represented: Autism, ADHD

PROSOPAGNOSIA

Dir. Steven Fraser l United Kingdom | 10 min | Animation, Documentary

Disability represented: Face blindness, Autism

SEE THROUGH

Dir. Eyal Resh l United States | 9 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Deafness

SIGNS AND GESTURES

Dir. Itandehui Jansen l United Kingdom | 12 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Blindness, hearing impairment

SILENT WORLD

Dir. Charlie Dennis l United Kingdom | 10 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Deafness

THE BODY IS A HOUSE OF FAMILIAR ROOMS

 Dir. Eloise Sherrid, Lauryn Welch l

United States | 10 min | Animation, Documentary

Disability represented: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

THE MULTI

Dir. Storm Smith, Natasha Ofili l United States | 18 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Deafness

TRYING

Dir. Juan Manuel Montilla “Langui” l Spain | 15 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Physical disability

WAWEL DRAGON

Dir. Cameron Carr l United Kingdom | 6 min | Animation

Disability represented: Autism

WHEELS

Dir. Smari Gunn l Iceland | 6 min | Narrative Short

Disability represented: Muscular Dystrophy/Wheelchair user

ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York

For more information, visit ny.reelabilities.org

ReelAbilities supports:

– Person-first language (a person with a disability, not a disabled person).

– Asking people for their preferences and if they require assistance.

– Creating an inclusive environment welcoming to people with and without disabilities.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE:

ReelAbilities strives for inclusion of all people. All films are screened with open captions and all venues are wheelchair accessible. ASL interpretation, CART, Audio Description, and information in Braille are available upon advance request. Individuals needing accommodations to participate should contact the screening venue directly in advance of the event.

TICKETS

For Tickets and more information, visit reelabilities.org/newyork

The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

To learn more, visit mmjccm.org

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine and Health & Wellness)