Wheelchair Diaries: One Step Up 2017
Distributed by New Day Films, 190 Route 17M, P.O. Box 1084, Harriman, NY 10926; 888-367-9154 or 845-774-7051
Produced by Reid Davenport
Directed by Reid Davenport and Mark Abramson
DVD, color, 27 min.
College - General Adult
Human Rights, Law and Criminal Justice, Political Science, Social Problems, Sociology, Urban and Regional Planning
Date Entered: 01/19/2018
Reviewed by Jessica Morales, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OhioReid Davenport, a young independent college student with plans to study abroad for a semester in Italy is discouraged to do so based on his disability and the potential accessibility issues he might face due to his use of a wheelchair. However, Reid sets out to embark on his own journey with a cameraperson in tow to document his experiences as he travels across Europe.
Wheelchair Diaries provides a unique opportunity to observe the raw experiences of the filmmaker and three Europeans that navigate the world daily by means of a wheelchair. The use of a single handheld camera creates a sense that you are traveling along with the filmmaker and subjects, which escalates the observation experience and invokes the sense of immersion at times. The diverse backgrounds of the film subjects, coupled with the commonality of disability, sheds a unique light on accessibility and disabilities, and how these attributes play a role in the infrastructures and social constructs of both Europe and the United States. The candid narrative and dialog between the filmmaker and subjects creates for an exceptional film that increases awareness of accessibility issues.
Highly recommended as teaching material for college level students, excellent material for discussion starters in the classroom, community forums and panel discussions related to accessibility issues.
Awards
- Best Short Documentary, Awareness Film Festival, 2013
- Visions Award, Utopia Film Festival, 2013