February Disability Film Festival will be Held in Houston

The ReelAbilities: Houston Film Festival is a “free city-wide film and arts festival to promote inclusion and celebrate the lives, stories, and talents of people with disabilities making an impact that lasts far beyond the week of the festival,” according to the event’s website.

Films that are made by or about people with disabilities will take place Feb. 14-18 in various Houston venues. Reservations are required.

Houston and Austin engage in a national trend to showcase accessible films by and about disability. photo credit: H-town via photopin (license)

See films being showcased across Houston for this year’s event and reserve your seat. At the top of their webpage, you can access a visual or text-only brochure.

Films address many abilities and two films are about deafness/hearing loss: Hear This! and No Ordinary Hero: The Superdeafy Movie:

• Hear This! “When 10 year-old Tristan wants his dad to become the trainer of his soccer team, the club won’t allow it because his father is deaf. Tristan decides to prove them wrong.” Hear This! is playing Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Edwards Greenway Grand Palace Stadium 24, 3839 Weslayan St, Houston, TX 77027.
• No Ordinary Hero: The Superdeafy Movie “Tony Kane plays a superhero on TV, but in real life he’s just another guy who happens to be deaf. Eight-year-old Jacob Lang is also deaf and is having a hard time. When Tony and Jacob’s paths cross, they inspire belief in each other and in themselves. Featuring Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin.” No Ordinary Hero: The Superdeafy Movie is playing Monday, Feb. 15 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Edwards Greenway Grand Palace Stadium 24 (address listed with other movie above).

  

  Marlee Matlin poses with a plaque representing her Hollywood star. Matlin advocates for Deaf issues. photo credit: Marlee Matlin via photopin (license)

The Houston Commission on Disabilities is a sponsor for the Feb. 16 evening event showing Hear This!, Coaching Colburn, and One Year Later.

The ReelAbilities Film Festival events provide accommodations, including:

• ASL Interpretation,
• CART,
• adaptive listening devices,
• captioned films (unless otherwise noted), and
• wheelchair-accessible venues.

Other accommodations are available upon request with at least 72 hours advanced notice by contacting Jordan Lewis at 832.786.0361 or info@reelabilities.org

Tickets are available online at www.ReelAbilitiesHouston.org or by calling 832.786.0361.