Mobilizing and Raising Awareness with Disability Film Festivals Denise Roza Perspektiva
The Breaking Down Barriers International Disability Film Festival: A Celebration of the Lives of People with Disabilities!
Perspektiva Russian cross-disability NGO committed to improving the quality of life of PWDS
Main Activities • Promoting and developing inclusive schools • Creating mainstream employment opportunities • Youth leadership programs • Raising awareness of disability issues • Disability rights and advocacy • Promoting access to sports and recreation
Situation for PWDs in Russia • Over 14 million PWDs in Russia; • Majority of people are still isolated in their homes; • The majority of PWDs study at home or in segregated schools, don’t work and have little or no social life; • The general public still knows very little about issues that PWDs face; • PWDs face daily discrimination; • PWDs lack access to public places, schools, services, etc.
History of Our Festival • There was limited and very stereotypical coverage of disability issues; • Media coverage appeared only on December 3 rd; • PWDs were invisible; there was no coverage of the Paralympic Games; • Disability was shameful, taboo.
Why a Disability Film Festival? • We used disability films at • We learned about other trainings festivals • Local media and NGOs • We realized that films were pledged their support a powerful medium for • It would give us the changing attitudes opportunity to collect films • Films empowered and from all over the world inspired PWDs and portrayed role models
Launched First festival in 2002 in Moscow; Every two years; Features a wide range of films about people with disabilities.
Festival Goals Raise awareness about disability issues and demonstrate the rich potential of PWDs and their diverse interests and abilities; Provide new ideas and inspiration for making positive change and breaking down barriers that PWDs in Russia face to be fully included in the community; Empower people with disabilities to be active, independent, confident in their abilities.
Additional festival goals Encourage film makers in Russia to produce more, better and more in depth films on disability and with the participation of PWDs; Create a video library for advocacy and public education in Russia.
Festival Principles • Convey positive and non stereotypical images of PWDs; • PWDs are on the steering / selection committee and in the festival jury; • Festival should be accessible for all; • Involve PWDs and family members in all activities; • Film directors are encouraged to attend the festival with their main characters ; • Disability or parent NGOs run our regional festivals.
Festival Films Animation, documentary, feature, short and full length, comedy, love stories, children’s films, films about children with disabilities, public service announcements, etc.
2004 winners Grand Prix 2004 King Gimp (USA) Like a Butterfly (Poland) Harvey Krumpet (Australia)
2006 Festival Winners AXIS dance (USA) Tabu (Hungary) Killer Cure, UK
A children’s program, Sesame Street films about children, films about youth and films made for children! Shelly Berry, Wild on Wheels , Soutb Africa, producer Tofik Shakhverdiev, About Love, Director
2008 Hanni with her husband from “How Dare You?” (Israel) Best film about Love. Best small feature: Miracle (USA) Shameless (Canada) My Four Children (Israel)
The World of Ingenious People (Russia) The Boy Inside (Canada) My Little Brother From The Moon (France) - children’s favorite Multiple (Scotland) Grand Prix - Mine (Iran)
More films … A Town Of Blind People (Russia) The City of Lights (USA) Murderball (USA) Whole – The Trinity Of Being (South Africa) Abnormally Funny People (UK)
Organize Discussion of Films
Access to our Festival, including films : All films are translated into Russian, sub-titled / captioned Audio Description is provided Venue is accessible
Our New Brand Celebrate diversity of our films, their main characters and our audience; Our festival has an impact and transforms its viewers and motivates them to make changes. Our new logo represents diversity and our striving for equality.
Festival Jury Sergey Miroshnichenko – well known documentary film maker Vladimir Menshov, director, actor Sergey Govorukhin, documentary film maker
Children’s Program screenings, discussions, games, performances.
Thousands of children have attended our festival
Festival Opening & Awards Ceremony Festival prize since 2004
Closing Ceremony
Festival Closing Ceremony 5 th Festival prize
Advertising our Festival
Festival VI at Movie Theater in Center of Moscow
Warm Festival Atmosphere
Some Festival statistics • Have screened more Films have been shown than 300 films and from approx. 40 received more than countries, including 1200. Iran, France, Australia, Israel, USA, UK, • More than 10,000 Canada, India, South viewers in Moscow Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and 40,000 in 20 Germany, Georgia, cities nation-wide Armenia, Japan, • More than 200 Sweden, Finland, guests have Norway, etc presented their films
Festival supporters and sponsors: government, business, foundations, hotels, media, embassies, UN agencies
Festival Echo
Mobilizing the Community • Involve hundreds of • Our steering volunteers committee involves disability leaders, • Get journalists journalists, film involved makers, NGO • Secure support from leaders, etc film makers, actors • We get students involved
Our Recipe for a Successful Festival
Key ingredients • Involve volunteers • Create a warm, welcoming • Include a wide variety atmosphere for all of films • Involve members of • PWDs play a key role the film industry • Involve other NGOs • Invite lots of film • Good advertising directors and their • Involve actors and main characters; other public figures • Lead discussions after film screenings
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