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Explore Department
Join us for films by and about people with disabilities.
ReelFilm is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. These films put the spotlight on disabled individuals as protagonists, role models, artists and producers, in-front of, and behind the camera. Experience this celebration of cinema, diversity and accessibility.
During eight days in March 1988, Gallaudet University students ignite a watershed moment in civil rights history. When the board appoints a hearing president to lead the world's only Deaf university, four student leaders mobilize their peers into action. Their demands extend beyond campus leadership, challenging deeply entrenched systems and sparking a movement that reverberates through generations. Co-directed by Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim, this documentary weaves together firsthand accounts and archival footage to chronicle a pivotal moment in American civil rights that reshaped educational equity.
Disability Represented: Deaf, Hearing Loss
After being diagnosed with cancer, Oscar realizes his overprotectiveness may be holding his son Billy back from gaining independence. Determined to secure Billy’s future, Oscar helps him build the skills needed for a job as a grocery store bagger. Their heartfelt journey highlights the challenges and triumphs of fostering self-reliance, revealing the deep love between father and son—and the courage it takes to let go.
Disability Represented: Intellectual Disability, Physical Disability
Shawn Cheshire, an army veteran, Blind Paralympic champion, and world-record holder, takes on an unprecedented 3,600-mile cross-country bike journey on a single, non-tandem bicycle. As she adapts to new ways of navigating both her physical terrain and personal history, Shawn's experience showcases the creative ways blind athletes develop innovative techniques for independent movement. Her story interweaves athletic achievement with candid explorations of identity, adaptation, and blazing one’s own trail.
Disability Represented: Vision Loss and Blindness, PTSD
Through archival footage, interviews, and intimate storytelling, Southpaw chronicles the extraordinary journey of Jim Abbott, a Major League Baseball pitcher born without a right hand. From his childhood in Flint, Michigan to his unforgettable no-hitter at Yankee Stadium, the film explores Abbott’s resilience, ingenuity, and impact on generations of disabled athletes. With commentary from teammates, journalists, and Abbott himself, the documentary reveals not just a sports triumph but a powerful legacy of advocacy and inclusion.
Disability Represented: Limb Difference (Born without a right hand)
Beyond 10+ days of film, art, music, speakers and more, ReelAbilities Houston’s ongoing programs educate and inspire.
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