Reel Abilities Celebrates Artists with Disabilities at the Wex

According to the website for Regan Linton and Brian Malone’s documentary imperfect, 95% of top TV show characters with disabilities in 2017 were played by non-disabled performers. Watching the pair’s documentary, you can’t help but wonder why that is.

Art Possible Ohio brings imperfect to the Wexner Center for the Arts on Friday, January 22, as part of their Reel Abilities program.

“Real Abilities is an international film festival celebrating and uplifting individuals with disabilities,” says Megan Fitze, director of programs and executive director of Art Possible Ohio. “It’s dedicated to normalizing the disability community, whether that means the films are about individuals with disabilities, written and directed by people with disabilities, or simply star actors with disabilities.”

Reel Abilities Ohio is an offshoot of a New York City festival held each spring.

“After their kickoff, there are satellite festivals around the country,” Fitze explains. “The way it works in Columbus is that we roll out our festival over the year.”

imperfect is their first film of 2023.

“imperfect is a documentary about a professional theater group in Denver composed entirely of individuals with disabilities,” she says. “It’s a great film – a lot of laughter and crying. You feel all the emotions when you watch it. It’s really kind of a joyous film.”

One of the reasons imperfect resonates with Fitze is the way it tells a more authentic story than those you generally find about people with disabilities.

“In the movie industry, there’s this idea of ‘inspiration porn,’ where films about individuals with disabilities have to be about people overcoming their disability,” she says. “Or the film has to be about someone working through their emotions around their disability. In reality, people are just living with their disabilities and trying to figure out their lives like every other human being.”

imperfect screens Sunday, January 22 at 1 p.m. Reel Abilities events are free to the public and are always hosted in accessible spaces.

The next two Reel Abilities screenings are at the Wexner Center for the Arts are:

• Animates Shorts Festival in Two Parts, Sunday, February 19 at 1 p.m.
• No Bones: Scars of Survival, Sunday, March 26 at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit artpossibleohio.org.