Hollywood Inclusion

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Joe Hunting

The aptly titled documentary short film “The Reality of Hope” highlights the incredible reach of human kindness, community, and possibility.

The film, primarily filmed inside virtual reality, opens by welcoming us to Furality, a virtual world and haven for like-minded people created by virtual reality creator and music composer, Hiyu, who was diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 28. Hiyu guides viewers through the colorful and meticulous world he has created, introducing several members of the virtual community that have connected with Hiyu as they express their joy at the freedom Hiyu’s VR world gives them to explore and connect with their community from all over the planet in a virtual world all their own. [continue reading…]

Content Warning: Discussions of suicide/suicidal ideation

Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

“Good luck selling your house once there’s been a suicide in it!”

Just barely 3 minutes in, and viewers are slapped with this line when protagonist Jo bitterly shouts it at her (now ex-) boyfriend as she storms out of a cafe while patrons and waitstaff look on, aghast.

Joanna Leeds’ BULLDOZER premiered this year as part of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Episodic Pilot Showcase. The pilot, which Leeds created, wrote, and stars in, follows Jo as she struggles her way through a breakup, her confounding health, and the medical system. [continue reading…]

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Gavin Velasquez Murray.

On the surface, writer/director Chelsea Christer’s short film “Out for Delivery” adds a comedic, yet realistic, lens to what it means for someone to choose to die with dignity. As viewers delve deeper, however, Christer’s film showcases the importance of having human connections in a world where it is so easy to be isolated.

In “Out for Delivery,” terminally ill Joanna (Deanna Rooney) chooses to pursue end-of-life options through the Death with Dignity Act, which is a law that allows terminally ill people to request and receive medication to end their lives on their own time. This law is intended to give people with terminal illnesses more control over their end-of-life care.

While there is a fear that this Act may cause disabled people to be pressured to end their lives prematurely, “Out for Delivery” aims to show that for people like Joanna, the Death with Dignity Act may enable her to take control of her life. [continue reading…]

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Daeil Kim.

Writer/Director Joanna Fernandez’s short film “The Things We Keep” examines the impact of Alzheimer’s and OCD through the genre of horror, allowing viewers to learn how both Alzheimer’s and OCD affect not only the individual, but their family members as well. Fernandez creates a powerful narrative while using both horror and magical realism as a lens to showcase an allegorical tale of caregiving and intergenerational trauma between a mother and daughter.

In “The Things We Keep,” Kate (Rebecca Holopter) returns home to take care of her estranged mother (Jenny O’Hara), a lifetime hoarder. Hoarding is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder that is categorized by severe emotional attachment to inanimate objects. As hoarders accumulate more items, they often become more isolated from family and friends. Furthermore, the idea of cleaning out hoarded items leads to panic. [continue reading…]

With one-in-five people having a disability in the U.S. today, the lack of representation – just 2.2 percent of characters in the 100 top-grossing films of 2023 – means that millions of people are unable to see themselves reflected in media.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival (January 23 – Feb 2) will provide an opportunity for audiences with various disabilities to see themselves represented – both in-person and virtually.

This year, several films feature disability in the plot. In particular, several films feature deafness: documentaries Deaf President Now! and Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, as well as short film Ragamuffin.

Additional films include features Come See Me in the Good Light, Life After, Third Act, Two Women, episodic BULLDOZER, and short films Out for Delivery, The Reality of Hope, The Things We Keep, Unholy, View From the Floor, among others. [continue reading…]

According to the 2023 UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report Presents: Streaming Television,14.3% of lead actors in the top streaming shows (live-action, scripted comedy, and drama series) in 2023 have a known disability. However, this statistic does not tell the whole story. Disability Belongs™ adds important context: the majority of these actors have nonapparent disabilities, meaning their disabilities are not immediately visible or visible to others at all.

The report also found that only 8.2% of co-lead actors in these shows have a known disability—a smaller share than lead actors. In comparison, 26% of adults in the U.S. identify as having a disability, underscoring the significant underrepresentation of disabled actors in these roles.

The UCLA report states that:

“Disability status was collected using Gracenote’s Studio System and Luminate Film & TV (formerly Variety Insight), which both note disability status that has been stated publicly. Types of disability that are tracked include the following: hearing, intellectual/developmental, mental health, neurodiverse, physical, visual, and non-specified.” [continue reading…]

Daniel Inouye was “different, not less” personified. An amputee, this applied to his disability, but also to the other facets of his identity that were targeted during his lifetime, like his race. He proved time and time again that he is capable, dedicated and level-headed. And with these traits, he accomplished more than many do in their lifetime.

Inouye’s life is the latest subject of “American Masters: Renegades,” a documentary series showcasing the lives and cultural contributions of little-known historical figures with disabilities. Each short is 12-minutes long and shines the spotlight on one individual. The crew telling these stories come with the background of being disabled, too, adding a layer of authenticity and a palpable sense of passion for bringing justice to these forgotten icons.

Through archived footage, recreations and interviews with Inouye’s son, himself, and his former chief of staff, viewers of “Renegades” can piece together not only Inouye’s life story but also his long-standing impact on individuals across the nation. [continue reading…]

When filmmakers Chris and Stef Guerrero highlighted cultural appropriation in their new film “Canceled,” they succeeded in creating a short horror and comedy that shows the consequences of one’s actions.

Directed and written by Disability Belongs™ Entertainment Lab alum Chris Guerrero and co-produced by Chris and Stef Guerrero, “Canceled” features a social media influencer who refuses to acknowledge her cultural appropriation of the Mexican holiday of Dia De Los Muertos and is then haunted by spirits. [continue reading…]

Director Amber Sealey: “It’s so important and crucial that we have all sets be accessible”

When Producer Peter Saraf’s daughter first read Sharon M. Draper’s “Out of My Mind,” she pitched it to him as a movie. Ten years later, “Out of My Mind” premiered at Sundance Film Festival and is now available on Disney+, reaching a new audience with a powerful message of inclusion and acceptance.

“Out of My Mind” is not just a coming-of-age film but an authentic and relatable story for the millions of children and young adults with disabilities. The situations that Melody faces are based on real-life experiences commonly encountered by disabled pre-teens and teenagers, as well as their parents and teachers.

[continue reading…]