CinemAbility screening Nov. 2

[Rachel Galvin]

 

Special CinemAbility Screening set for November 2 at

the 28th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival 

benefits  Leadership Initiatives for the Disabled

Fresh from a round of screenings up and down the east coast, with Oscar buzz swirling, and raves from movie goers critics alike, CinemAbility, the hot new documentary that takes a look at disability portrayal in the movies from the silent film era to the present, is back at Cinema Paradiso for a special benefit showing at the Fort  Lauderdale International Festival on Saturday, November 2 at 1 pm.  

 

Oscar Contender

“Yes, it’s official, CinemAbility is in the Oscar race for best documentary this year,” says the film’s award winning director Jenni Gold.  “We are the dark horse coming from behind, but we have the vital message of inclusion that needs to get out there.”

“One in five Americans has a disability, which equates to 20 percent of our nation’s population, yet the disability community is represented in one percent of all the industry’s productions for film and TV.  We are the largest minority in the country. Producers and studios need to realize how important our contributions can be to the industry,” says Florida’s own movie star, Danny Murphy, who is an associate producer and appears in the documentary.

 

Big Name Stars are getting the message out

The documentary gets the message out via telling interviews with an array of top Hollywood producers and actors like Ben Affleck, Beau Bridges, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Peter Bogdanovich, Gary Sinise, and a selection of eye-opening movie clips from both old and current Hollywood films.

“The film does an excellent job taking us through the history of disability in film in a fun way.  If everyone in the industry embraces the film, then we won’t have an issue,” says Mr. Murphy, himself an actor with a disability who has also played able bodied characters. Often recognized as ‘the guy in the wheelchair”, Mr. Murphy who has appeared in 10 feature films and 6 television shows, as well as a number of stage productions, now aims to make South Florida an even more viable location for Hollywood studios and producers to film upcoming movies and television productions.

 

Raising Funds to Support Leadership Initiatives for the Disabled

Saturday’s screening at Cinema Paradiso aims to raise funds to support the initiatives of the Leadership program spearheaded by Mr. Murphy within the Center for Independent Living of Broward County.  The key priority areas of the program are employment, wellness, and transportation for people with disabilities.  For more information on supporting the CILB Leadership program, please visit www.dannymurphy.com.  Mr. Murphy will be on hand for pre and post screening chats, photo ops, and autograph signings with audiences.

 

Ticket Information/Wheelchair Seating

Tickets are available online at www.cinemability.com or at the Cinema Paradiso ticket windows.  For wheelchair seating, please contact 818.437.9423.