Unaided: A Film Series on Disability

Inspired by a request from a Cinematheque member, we are proud to present this series of documentaries from filmmakers with disabilities in partnership with National accessArts Centre and Canada Council for the Arts. Exploring the personal experiences of the filmmakers themselves, these stories centre the unique perspectives of their creators as they tell stories of living with disability in an ableist world.

By showing these films, we hope we are able to promote thoughtful communication and meaningful improvements in the treatment of people living with disabilities and, in particular, artists living with disabilities.  

Our series titles calls on both positive and negative aspects of the term “unaided.” On the one hand, not needing help because you have everything you need. On the other, not having access to the help that you very much need.

A teal with stripes which says Unaided: A Film Series on Disability.


Partners:

Series Films

 
A photo of two men. One is in a wheelchair, the other stands behind him without a shirt on and with a guitar over his shoulder. They are both smiling. There are white buildings behind them.

Crip Camp: a disability revolution (2020)
Directed by James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham
mARCH 9, 2023

Established in 1951, Camp Jened in the state of New York was created to provide a summer camp for kids with disabilities. Bringing these young people together with others they could relate to, in many cases for the first time, created an idyllic environment which served as a cauldron for the growth of activist movements for people with disabilities. Crip Camp is a documentary that explores the journey from campers to activists from the 1970s to today.

Shameless: The ART of Disability (2006)
Directed by Bonnie Sherr Klein
March 22, 2023

In the 1970s, Bonnie Sherr Klein was one of the National Film Board's star feminist filmmakers in their Challenge for Change program. In 1981 she directed one of the NFB's most controversial and commercially successful films, but in 1987 a catastrophic stroke led to her becoming quadriplegic. Becoming an activist, she created this film to explore the transformational power of art for persons with disabilities.

Bonnie Sherr Klein is in a red shirt. She is touching her mouth with her finger, thinking about something. She is sitting in a chair in what looks to be her home.
Jason DaSilva sits in front of the Taj Mahal. There is a crowd in front of the Taj Mahal, but DaSilva is sitting at a distance, alone.
Close up shot of Jason DaSilva standing in front of an interaction. He looks to the left. He is wearing a Black leather jacket.

When I Walk (2013)
DIRECTED by Jason DaSilva
April 5, 2023

The personal story of filmmaker Jason DaSilva, this autobiographical documentary explores how DaSilva's relationships with those close to him changed and evolved after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As DaSilva progresses from cane, to walker, to wheelchair, When I Walk shows how his life changes over the course of seven years.

I Didn't See You There (2022)
Directed by Reid Davenport
April 27, 2022

Shot entirely from the perspective of creator Reid Davenport as he navigates his hometown in his electric wheelchair, this contemplative film explores the legacy of circus freak shows among the culture of ableism, while foregrounding Davenport's experience through the use of point-of-view filmmaking.

A reflection of Reid Davenport in his wheelchair through some doors. There is a giant red and yellow circus tent behind him.