This programme has now ended but you can still see details of the films below.
Dried Joy: A Taste of Resilience. Julia Provorchenko. Ukraine/UK. 2025. 8:30. FF. DDD. UK Premiere. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 100,000 Ukrainians have acquired long-term disabilities. Dried Joy follows Serhii, a double-arm amputee veteran, as he rebuilds his life through a dried-meat business rooted in a childhood memory. The film is a portrait of reinvention and the everyday dignity of choosing life again.
The Secret Life Of Bryan Adam, Birds, Bacon Butties and Cake… and Bond. Oliver Hellowell. UK. 2025. 27m. D. World Premiere. Oliver Hellowell is a young nature and wildlife photographer with Down Syndrome. Having successfully published a selection of photography books he decided he wanted to direct his first short film, meeting his hero TV wildlife presenter Iolo Williams as they go to Wales in search of a bird he has never seen before, the Black Grouse.
Dysfluent Journeys. Stories Beyond Words Collective. UK. 2024. 20:14. DDD. FFF. Online Premiere. Dysfluent Journeys invites listeners to consider communication experiences outside of their own. Travel with five people and commit to connecting with voices that ask for time, and refute expectations of fluency. Jamie communicates with a computer that feels like his friend and advocate, Christine’s stammer feels inherently part of her, Emily’s communication is as much her body movements as her voice, Anne-Marie knows her stammer holds real purpose, and Greta makes music with her eyes.
Late-Diagnosed. Matthew Baltar. USA. 2025. 3:35. D. F. International Premiere. Matt often didn’t recognize himself in photos and never really understood why—until one day his loss of hearing helped him see more clearly. This film breaks down what living with auditory processing disorder can feel like, as well as the complicated feelings that come with this and other diagnoses.
Crip Trip. Season 1. Episode #1. Dylan Wertz, Daniel Ennett, and Frederick Kroetsch. Canada. 2025. 44m. An unprepared caregiver and his quadruple-amputee best friend embark on a wild road trip to chase a TV dream.