ReelAbilities is the United States' largest film festival dedicated to showcasing films by, or about, people with disabilities. It was founded by JCC Manhattan in New York City in 2007.
ReelAbilities is the United States' largest film festival dedicated to showcasing films by, or about, people with disabilities. It was founded by JCC Manhattan in New York City in 2007.
The Festival's Co-directors are Isaac Zablocki and Ravit Turjeman. ReelAbilities strives to make the festival as fully accessible as possible. In 2012, it screened films in 23 locations in all five of New York City's boroughs. All films screened by the Festival are captioned. It is also "the only festival in New York that prints film programs in Braille and features audio descriptions for the blind". [1]
In March 2015, the NY edition of the festival opened on the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and was featured for 7 days in 37 venues throughout the greater NY metropolitan area.
ReelAbilities is now a touring film festival throughout the United States. Cities on its itinerary include: [2]
Disabilities of any kind are explored in the films in the ReelAbilities Film Festival programming. In 2012, films featured included disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, blindness and mental health. [3] ReelAbilities screens films from the United States as well as international films, including from countries such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
According to Festival Director Isaac Zablocki, most of the films originate outside the United States:
...specifically in Europe, where there's traditionally a lot of smaller films and access to government funds. Lots of these films are amazing, and, best of all, we get to show premieres. Many of the films are embraced outside of the U.S., but we're often the first or only American festival to show these movies. [1]
Jeff Remz, a communications and marketing manager of the Boston Jewish Film Festival, helped sponsor ReelAbilities in Boston in 2012. Remz says, "Disabilities don't know boundaries by way of country, ethnicity, religion, or community." [4]
Goodwill Industries International Inc., or simply Goodwill, is an American business that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who face barriers in their employment.
Blue Movie is a 1969 American erotic film written, produced and directed by Andy Warhol. It is the first adult erotic film depicting explicit sex to receive wide theatrical release in the United States, and is regarded as a seminal film in the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984). The film stars Warhol superstars Viva and Louis Waldon.
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The Boston Jewish Film Festival (BJFF) is an annual film festival that screens the best contemporary films on Jewish themes from around the world. The festival presents features, shorts, documentaries, and conversations with visiting artists in order to explore the Jewish identity, the current Jewish experience and the richness of Jewish culture in relation to a diverse modern world.
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Anita Altman is an American social entrepreneur and city planner. Anita Altman co-founded ReelAbilities, the largest film festival in the United States dedicated to showcasing films by or about people with disabilities. Altman is an active Jewish feminist, and a member of New York's B’Nai Jeshrun synagogue. Altman is the mother of Sascha Altman DuBrul, who co-founded the Icarus Project.
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Zeno Mountain Farm is a non-profit, year round organization that hosts camps for people with and without disabilities. The flagship camp of Zeno Mountain Farm is held in Bristol, Vermont, during July. Satellite camps are held in Los Angeles and Jensen Beach. In total the camp is in session for 120 days a year. Each camp session has a specific goal ranging from putting on a play to participating in athletic events. The camp is run entirely by donations and volunteers, allowing for all campers to attend without cost. Recently the organization has produced films projects utilizing people with disabilities both on-screen and behind the scenes, including the feature Best Summer Ever, which premiered at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival.
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In the United States, reserved spaces are mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.
