26 films exploring and celebrating the artistic expression and engaging stories of groundbreaking disabled talent will be showcased at 16th edition of ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, taking place in multiple venues throughout NYC, Long Island and Westchester, with a selection of titles available online from April 3–10, 2024.
The Festival will open with the NYC premiere of Tony Goldwyn’s Ezra, starring Goldwyn himself, alongside Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, at a red carpet celebration at the NY Times Center. The film, introducing William Fitzgerald in the title character, will be followed by Q&A with the cast and crew.
Other highlights include the world premiere of Loud Love which follows the prejudices of a deaf gay couple seeking to adopt two hearing children, The NY Premiere of the family friendly Rally Caps starring Judd Hirsch and Amy Smart, and Closing Night’s NY Premiere of Good Bad Things about a young entrepreneur with muscular dystrophy entering the world of online dating.
“These films are not just inclusive, they are first and foremost great films, and happen to highlight a variety of important topics such as disability inclusion, human rights, and other social issues.” says Isaac Zablocki, ReelAbilities’ co-founder and director. “This is our most diverse lineup to date and we are proud to feature authentic and first-person stories that bring these underserved images to the surface in the most responsible and engaging manner.”
ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York will continue to host its annual Industry Summit on April 8 and 9, highlighting topics of disability inclusion and equity in the film and performing arts industries, in partnership with The NYC Mayor’s Office for Media and Entertainment.
FESTIVAL LINE UP
Feature Films
Opening Night: Ezra
New York City Premiere
Dir. Tony Goldwyn
Narrative | English | US | 2023 | 100 min
Logline: Max (Bobby Cannavale) is living with his father Stan (Robert De Niro), and is at odds with his soon-to-be ex-wife Jenna (Rose Byrne) about how to address their son’s Autism diagnosis. In an act of desperation, Max takes Ezra on a cross-country odyssey.
Daruma
Dir. Alexander Yellen
Narrative | English | US | 2023 | 104 min
Logline: When Patrick discovers he’s the father of a 4-year-old girl, he takes an unexpected journey with his veteran neighbor.
Is There Anybody Out There?
Dir. Ella Glendining
Documentary | English | UK | 2023 | 87 min
Logline: A filmmaker explores self-love and acceptance while navigating ableist constructs.
La Lucha
Dir. Violeta Ayala
Documentary | Spanish | Australia/US/Bolivia | 2023 | 93 min
New York Premiere
Logline: Activists lead a courageous 250-mile journey over the Andes to the Bolivian capital, facing adversity and rewriting national history as they advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
Left Alone Rhapsody – The Musical Memoir of Pianist John Bayless
Dir. Stewart M. Schulman
Documentary | English | US | 2023 | 100 min
Logline: After losing mobility in his right hand, piano prodigy John Bayless is determined to take on the world’s most prestigious stages playing with just his left hand.
Loud Love
Dir. Bing Wang
Documentary | English + ASL | US | 2024 | 90 min
World Premiere
Logline: Pushing back against society and their own families’ prejudice, deaf, gay couple Alan and Brian pursue parenthood, raising two hearing children.
Name Me Lawand*
Dir. Edward Lovelace
Documentary | British Sign Language, English, Kurdish | UK | 2022 | 82 min
Logline: A rapturous portrait of a deaf Kurdish boy’s emotional journey toward discovering how to express himself while learning the art of sign language.
Okthanksbye
Dir. Nicole van Kilsdonk
Narrative | Dutch, Dutch Sign Language, French | Netherlands | 2023 | 92 min
Logline: An adventurous coming-of-age drama following two young deaf girls on a transformative road trip, providing an opportunity for self-discovery and deepening their understanding of each other.
Rally Caps + Deaf Giants
Rally Caps*
Dir. Lee Cipolla
Narrative | English | US | 2023 | 95 min
New York Premiere
Logline: After an injury during a little league baseball tryout, young Jordy goes to summer camp and is inspired to return to the pitching mound by catcher Lucas, who has just undergone cochlear implant surgery.
Deaf Giants
Dir. Peter Hoffman Kimball
Documentary | English | US | 2023 | 10 min
New York Premiere
Logline: 10-year-old Bracken and his younger deaf brother investigate the representation of deaf baseball players between the early 1900s and the present.
Sexual Healing
Dir. Elsbeth Fraanje
Documentary | Dutch | Netherlands | 2022 | 55 min
New York Premiere
Logline: A poignant, disarming, and often humorous story of a 53-year-old disabled woman going on a courageous exploration of her own intimacy and sexuality for the very first time.
Tell Them You Love Me
Dir. Nick August-Perna
Documentary | English | US | 2023 | 103 min
New York City Premiere
Logline: A riveting and nuanced true-crime story about communication, race, and sex that challenges our perceptions of disability and the nature of consent.
Closing Night: Good Bad Things
Dir. Shane D. Stanger
Narrative | English | US | 2023 | 96 min
New York Premiere
Logline: Danny, a young man with muscular dystrophy, steps out of his comfort zone and into the world of online dating after being disillusioned by failed relationships. An unexpected match with Madi, an enigmatic photographer, challenges him to be vulnerable and sparks a profound journey of self-acceptance, discovering the extraordinary beauty of his unique body.
REELSHORTS: SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
ReelShorts: Out of the Box
As You Are
Dir. Daisy Friedman
Narrative | English | US | 2023 | 14 min
Logline: When an interabled queer couple spends the night together for the first time, they must confront their complex relationships with desire, sexuality, and bodily autonomy.
Carpenter
Dir. Xelîl Sehragerd
Documentary | Kurdish | Kurdistan | 2023 | 14 min
Kurdish carpenter Hussein Mahmood navigates through snow and landmines to craft artificial legs from carefully selected wood.
Donald
Dir. Dylan S. Tuccillo
Documentary | English | US | 2023 | 9 min
World Premiere
Logline: A dancer moves with his wheelchair in surprising ways, pushing the art form’s boundaries, as he prepares for a live performance.
My Eyes Are Up Here
Dir. Nathan Morris
Narrative | English | UK | 2022 | 13 min
Logline: A romantic comedy following a disabled woman on a mission to get the morning-after pill. The only thing in her way is… everything.
Sea Legs
Dir. Sam Dijkstra
Narrative | Dutch | Netherlands | 2022 | 8 min
US Premiere
Logline: What starts for Marius as a careless summer’s day evolves into a confrontation between his insecurities and self-acceptance.
To My Father
Dir. Sean Schiavolin
Documentary | ASL, English | US | 2023 | 23 min
Logline: To My Father depicts Deaf actor Troy Kotsur’s journey to winning an Oscar and his father’s influence on him, despite a tragic accident.
We Care
Dir. Clare-Louise English
Narrative | English | UK | 2022 | 16 min
New York Premiere
Logline: Annie is surprised to find that her new caretaker happens to be a man, a very manly man. This beautiful and funny piece takes a dark turn when Annie is let down by the system that is meant to take care of her.
ReelShorts: Mental Health
Dear Ani
Dir. Micah Levin
Documentary | English | US | 2022 | 39 min
Logline: This film focuses on Keith Wasserman’s 20-year epic mental health odyssey to befriend music icon and Grammy award-winner Ani DiFranco.
Dosh
Dir. Radha Mehta
Narrative | English, Hindi | US | 2023 | 16 min
East Coast Premiere
Logline: A mother with hearing loss must decide how to seek help for her husband to keep her family safe.
ReelShorts: (Neuro)Divergent
MMJCCM: Sun, Apr 7, 1 pm, $15
BEAR
Dir. Kate Hammer
Narrative | English | UK | 2023 | 11 min
International Premiere
Logline: Neurodivergent Jude desperately needs a job, but a giant, sentient teddy bear can’t stop getting in her way. This is their story.
Dungeons, Goblins and Broccoli
Dir. Dan Sanguineti
Narrative | English | Australia | 2022 | 8 min
North American Premiere
Logline: A group of avid Dungeons and Dragons players embarks on their next quest, but their game takes a turn when a newcomer arrives.
How To Build A Life
Dir. Matthew Reese
Documentary | English | UK | 2023 | 10 min
North American Premiere
Logline: A young man with Asperger’s talks candidly about the bullying that nearly ended his life and about finding hope through his new focus on Legos and his dog.
Working Differently
Dir. Hannah Currie
Documentary | English | UK | 2023 | 24 min
World Premiere
Logline: The importance of accessibility and inclusion within the film and television world, and why this should become the industry standard.