Open to Interpretation is a delightful five-minute dark comedy sketch that introduces us to Jeremy Stone, a Black Deaf comedian played by Harold Foxx, and his amusing interactions with his ASL interpreter. The film sheds light on the challenges of communication within the deaf community, skillfully weaving humor and insight into its narrative.

One memorable scene captures the awkwardness of miscommunication when a character unintentionally spits in Jeremy’s face while shouting to communicate to Jeremy, highlighting the everyday struggles faced by Deaf individuals. Jeremy’s initial banter with his interpreter Kyle (Zachary Goldstein) adds a touch of humor as he playfully expresses his preference to his manager (Emma, played by Chrissy Marshall) for a Black interpreter for better relatability. [continue reading…]

This year’s theme for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC) is buddy comedy. However, filmmaker Krista Villatoro, an alumna of the 2021 RespectAbility Entertainment and News Media Fellowship, takes a unique approach with this theme by making her buddy absent in the film. No Sabo is a short film about Villatoro’s adventures, or lack thereof, in Guatemala. The short film not only stars Villatoro, but is also directed, shot, and edited by her. [continue reading…]

In his most recent Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC) entry, Twin Perspectives, Nader Bahu does it all – from writer, director, and producer to editor and star. The film follows a conversation between twin brothers, both played by Bahu, having a conversation on their experience with their disability.

Bahu, who is a 2022 Warner Bros. Discovery Access Early Career Bootcamp Alumnus, has a muscle atrophy disability that causes weakness in his muscle resulting in his mouth being opened, voice impairment, and inability to walk. As such, the twins in the film also share the same disability. [continue reading…]

Roma Murphy has written a variety of content – from short-form comedic digital content to children’s animation – but when working on others’ projects, she was asked to write nondisabled characters. As a writer for Easterseals Disability Film Challenge’s One Night Stand, Murphy had the opportunity to go in a new direction.

“This is the first time I’ve written a disabled character and actually gotten to see them come to life onscreen,” said Murphy, who is a 2022 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumna. “Nothing could have prepared me for that level of emotion.” [continue reading…]

Disabled AF features a list of talented collaborators – including disabled actors and crew – who come together to bring a unique and beautiful story to life. The well-executed themes of overcoming family dynamics, understanding the character’s motivations, and the topic of disabilities are on full display in this entry for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC).

Founded by Nic Novicki, the EDFC is an annual five-day competition in which filmmakers must create original three-to-five minute films based on a different theme each year. This year’s theme is buddy comedy.

Several RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumni served in roles both behind and in front of the camera for Disabled AF, including: Director, Writer, and Actress Cashmere Jasmine (2021); Writer and Producer Ariel Baska (2022); Writer Ophira Calof (2022); and Producer Kiah Amara (2021). [continue reading…]

As she has done for several years, Rachel Handler (she/her) once again brings an intriguing selection that takes us beyond the surface for the 2024 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge.

Handler, a 2020 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Alumna, wrote, starred in, and produced Best Friends FOREVER. This short film cheekily captures the experience of a disabled working actor and its challenges during the casting process… Or so you think. It opens with a very relatable scene, with Lacey (Handler) reading a casting call from the toilet. This scene serves a few purposes, including providing a sense of intimacy in an unconventional way. When Lacey’s friend pops in the bathroom with her, it really portrays their closeness as well. [continue reading…]

In the new short film Ableist Watching, two disabled friends, Abby (Emily Kranking) and Willow (Gabrielle Zwi), watch over an accessible parking spot and confront any non-disabled person who parks there. However, rather than being apologetic or remorseful when the suspects are caught, they give excuses or antagonize Abby and Willow.

In one scene, a religious lady (Tywanna Gardner), parks in the accessible spot with a “What would Jesus do sticker?” on her car. When Willow asks her, “What would Jesus do here?”, the religious lady does not appreciate the snarky comment, and mocks Abby’s disabled hand saying Jesus would probably heal it – falling into a trope that some religious individuals feel that disabled individuals need to be healed. Abby, who represents many disabled individuals who are not looking for healing but for true inclusion, lets out a primal scream before attacking and chasing her away. It is a truly funny and beautiful scene to see Abby stand up to a hypocrite. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility Entertainment Media Fellow Steven McCoy with Whoopi Goldberg

Speaking prior to the ReelAbilities Film Festival’s opening night ceremony, Whoopi Goldberg shared profound insights into her journey with dyslexia, emphasizing how she reframed her challenges as strengths rather than limitations.

“For me, it’s never been a source of shame,” Goldberg said in an interview with RespectAbility on the red carpet. “It was frustrating because they placed me in classes where I struggled due to the way my brain processes information. However, my memory for details and the ability to recall conversations from years ago are my gifts. I see them as my superpowers.”

Her perspective on self-acceptance and empowerment deeply resonated with me, especially as someone who has grappled with insecurities and self-expression. I expressed my personal gratitude to Goldberg for redefining conventional standards of beauty. Goldberg’s confidence in her own beauty left a lasting impact on me.

[continue reading…]

Jessica Hetzel and Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt

At an event at the Jewish Community Center in Detroit on March 10, Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt, a writer, consultant, actress, speaker, and advocate for disability and autism representation, discussed her story and her work on the Broadway musical “How to Dance in Ohio.” The event, organized by The J’s Opening the Doors program, was in celebration of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM).

Ava identifies as a Chinese, transracial, Jewish, autistic adoptee. She shared her experiences of intersectional identities and how that affected her career in the entertainment industry. In Ava’s speech, she briefly touched on her experience of being diagnosed and how she managed it. Ava’s discussion of her multiple identities left the audience with a lasting impression of the importance of inclusion and belonging among various communities. [continue reading…]