ReelAbilities Film Festival Cleveland and Akron

See award-winning films celebrating the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. Films are followed by a speaker or panel discussion.

ReelAbilities Film Festival is the largest festival in the US dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities. Initiated in New York in 2007, the festival presents award-winning films by and about people with disabilities in multiple locations throughout each hosting city. Post-screening discussions and other engaging programs bring together the community to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience. For a complete schedule of this year's events, visit the ReelAbilities Cleveland and Akron website.

The ReelAbilities Film Festival for the Akron area will be held at several locations:

Wednesday, September 13, 6-8 pm
Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S. High St, Akron, OH 44326

"Being Michelle"
80 min. | Disabilities featured: Autism, Deafness, Vision Loss and Blindness

The astonishing story of a woman who survived incarceration in a system that refused to accommodate her needs as a deaf person with autism. Michelle’s trajectory changed when she met Kim Law, a blind life coach who teaches in the prison. A story of redemption, this award-winning film is about the bonds between two women committed to thriving in a broken system and forging a path to healing.

This film will be followed by Judge Ron Cable from the Summit County Connect Court Program, who, in October 2021, created a court-sponsored program entitled Connect for developmentally disabled individuals in the criminal justice system and will share his expertise. As stated by Summit DD Superintendent Lisa Kamlowsky, "the Connect program provides needed support while encouraging individuals to be part of the process. Through this collaboration, an individual becomes an active participant in the accountability process, their growth, and ultimately their path forward."

Saturday, September 23, 3-4 pm
Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S. High St, Akron, OH 44326

"Mac & Cheese"
5 min. | Disabilities featured: Amputee 

An everyday hero grapples with friendship, responsibility, and the decision to eat (or not to eat) his roommate’s mac and cheese.

"Bendix Site Unseen"
26 min. | Disabilities featured: Vision Loss and Blindness

Surrounded by highway traffic sits the unassuming Bendix Diner, owned and operated by John Diakakis. As the blind, single father of three young children who also work at the diner, John attempts to provide a better life for his family.

Wrap up the day with us in a discussion on employment for individuals with differing abilities. This program is a part of both the Reelabilies and Akron Eats series. To learn more about Akron Eats, check out our website!

Thursday, October 5, 6-8 pm
Akron Art Museum,  1 S. High St, Akron, OH 44308

"Soul (Signs): Opera"
22 min. | Disabilities featured: Deafness

A series of three short films exploring the intersection of opera and American Sign Language, starring some of today’s most acclaimed deaf and signing performers. Created by Up Until Now Collective.

"Imagined Touch"
33 min. | Disabilities featured: Deafness, Vision Loss and Blindness

When two deafblind women ask a theater director to help them make a show about being deaf and blind, never in their wildest dreams did they imagine it would become an award-winning show.

As the film comes to a close, empowering motivational speaker Jason Judy will share his personal insight as a deafblind assistive technology advocate.

Thursday, October 19, 6-8 pm
Summit DD, 2355 Second St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221

"Shadow"
57 min. | Disabilities featured: Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Physical Disability

Simon, Scott, and Sarah — a trio of activists with intellectual disabilities — hold a town hall meeting, desperate to save the world from the future impacts of artificial intelligence. What begins as a polite discussion quickly descends into bickering and chaos, and as the meeting unravels, they discover the greatest threat to their future is already in the room. A nuanced and witty criticism of ableism and societal hierarchy, the film is based on the award-winning play "The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes."

As the film comes to a close, we invite you to stay for a stimulating conversation about AI and its trajectory.

Please Note: Some films may contain content and language not suitable for children.

For questions regarding accessibility, please contact cadiv@akronlibrary.org two (2) weeks before the event. Accommodations requested within less than two (2) weeks cannot be guaranteed, but we will try our hardest!

For more information contact Culture & AV Division at cadiv@akronlibrary.org or 330.643.9015.

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