BEHIND THE LENS

WHEELCHAIR USERS TELL THEIR STORIES

IN ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARIES

Despite having no experience as a filmmaker, the change came naturally to her.

Being behind the camera made it even easier for Dani Izzie to ensure her story emphasized the normalcy of living life with a disability and avoid the “overcoming all odds” storyline that nondisabled filmmakers fixate on in movies about disability.

“I focus on concrete solutions and figure it out like any other new parent,” she says. 

“With a spinal cord injury, I honestly think it makes me a stronger parent. 

I know how to prepare for massive challenges.

What matters is what you can give your children emotionally, physically and mentally.”

BEHIND THE LENS

WHEELCHAIR USERS TELL THEIR STORIES

IN ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARIES

As Dani Izzie’s pregnancy progressed, cinematographers began filming her and her husband, Rudy, in their Virginia home.

Then came Covid. 

No one wanted to travel, and no one wanted to expose Izzie to increased health risks during her pregnancy. 

“The pros did a shoot before my baby shower, then everything shut down. 

It was in the middle of the pandemic. We couldn’t even do fundraising,” she says.

Because there’s no pause button on pregnancy, Izzie and her husband became the camera crew, using smartphones and a digital camera. 

Izzie evolved from being the subject of the film to its producer.

 

 

BEHIND THE LENS

WHEELCHAIR USERS TELL THEIR STORIES

IN ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARIES

Dani Izzie brought cameras everywhere to document her pregnancy.

“They are my children. I want some ownership. 

You can’t just buy me,” she says, explaining why she rejected the offer. “There was no guarantee that they were going to get the disability narrative right.

I was worrying, from what I’ve seen on TV and film, they were going to really fuck it up.”

Izzie held out before eventually deciding to make Dani’s Twins with a filmmaker known for documentaries with a social impact.

It helped that he was a personal friend and promised her the freedom to tell her story her way.

BEHIND THE LENS

WHEELCHAIR USERS TELL THEIR STORIES 

IN ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARIES

Dani Izzie knew there was an audience for her story and genuinely believed others could benefit from seeing it documented on film, but she also knew how easily it all could go wrong. 

“I have a sensational story, like the greatest clickbait: ‘Quadriplegic woman gives birth to twins,’” she says. “But I don’t want it to be sensationalistic.

I want to combat the bias against women with disabilities becoming parents. … We have to break through this ableism.”

Izzie, a C5-6 quadriplegic, had been approached by a casting director of reality TV shows and offered a handsome sum of money to document her pregnancy in exchange for relinquishing the exclusive rights.

BEHIND THE LENS

WHEELCHAIR USERS TELL THEIR STORIES

IN ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARIES

A growing number of wheelchair users are getting behind the camera and creating documentaries that are airing on PBS, winning at film festivals and even earning Oscar nominations.

New, more affordable technology, expanding media outlets and a content-craving public are a few of the reasons why documentary filmmaking has become more accessible than ever. 

We spoke to three wheelchair-using filmmakers with varying degrees of experience who aim to entertain, educate the masses, and motivate others with disabilities to tell their stories and bust myths held by nondisabled viewers. 

Disclaimer: No cringeworthy inspiration porn was created in the making of these films.

BULLHEADED PUSHBACK ON DESIGN FOR ALL

CONTINUES TO CREATE ACCESSIBILITY FAILS

IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

It floors me when I point out a design flaw that blocks access to people with disabilities…

and an architect/city official/planner responds:

“It’s technically compliant.”

That’s as inhumane and nonsensical as saying murder is fine if you do a good job of hiding the body.

SAVE MY LITTLE HAVANA

A STORY IN ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Steve Wright's photography effectively emphasized the need to preserve Little Havana's cultural and architectural treasures from the influence of modernization.

His images will serve as a reminder of their timeless beauty and the crucial significance of protecting them for future generations to possibly and really Save My Little Havana.