"Breaking Down Barriers": First International Moscow Disability Film Festival
September 26-29, 2002
By Denise Roza, Director, Perspektiva (droza@online.ru)
Background
There are an estimated 15 million disabled persons in Russia. Historically, this population has been excluded from the social and political life of Russia, and the former Soviet Union. Government programs that have endeavored to address the needs of disabled people have traditionally adopted the role of "caretaker" and have, in this way, promoted dependence and exclusion rather than independence and integration into society.
For the majority of disabled people, being active in society is a series of often insurmountable obstacles due to both physical and attitudinal barriers and other forms of discrimination which they face daily. Furthermore, legislation, which is meant to defend the rights of disabled people in Russia, is not being enforced. Consequently, much remains to be done to promote the social and political participation of disabled people in their communities. Because of these factors, people with disabilities experience isolation, low self-esteem and face overwhelming barriers to participate in the social and economic life of their communities.
Many myths and misconceptions about people with disabilities still prevail in Russia, in part, because disabled people are isolated and excluded from community activities due to physical barriers. The general public in Russia, who rarely encounter disabled people, lack even a basic understanding of disability issues. In addition, people with disabilities rarely appear in broadcast media or films, and, when they do, are portrayed as people in need of pity and charity. These images only further cultivate negative stereotypes about persons with disabilities.
Public education activities
Since the early 70's, public education has been used by members of the disability movement in the West to break down barriers and misconceptions about persons with disabilities. A wide variety of activities have been organized to raise awareness about disability issues from disability awareness trainings to political rallies. Recently disability awareness film festivals have become a popular and effective way of raising awareness about disability issues and break down stereotypes about persons with disabilities. Today, festivals are organized regularly in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Finland and Germany by members of local disability communities. Film festivals on social topics are not new to Russia, however, a disability film festival has yet to be organized in Russia. Furthermore, films about disabled people rarely reach Russian audiences.
Value of Role Models and Positive Images
In addition to introducing the Russian public to the concept of disabled individuals as contributing members of the community, a festival of films showing positive role models can have a major impact on disabled youths and adults who have not been exposed to these possibilities. Many prize-winning disability films feature disabled individuals as artists, teachers, writers, welders, inventors, comedians, parents, political or social activists, dancers or athletes. The festival would provide disabled Russians with their first wide exposure to films about people with a variety of disabilities who are participating in society. Mass media is a mirror of society and it can be a very powerful experience to see oneself in that mirror for the first time.
Research shows that in most countries, the majority of disabled children do not know any disabled adults and, consequently, many have a difficult time in imagining their future. A film festival would provide opportunities for them to observe disabled adults undertaking a wide variety of activities, in effect, introducing them to positive role models.
Opportunity to Demonstrate Achievements
Due to the previously mentioned isolation and marginalization of the disabled population, most non-governmental advocacy activities in this field are concentrated on addressing serious inequities, improving accessibility, working to convince authorities and influential groups of the legitimacy of demands, and providing leadership training so that disabled individuals can develop the skills to take charge of their own social change movement. In all of these activities the disabled minority must press forward from the margins for some accommodation from the non-disabled majority-an uphill and frequently fruitless battle.
In countries where these film and cultural festivals are held regularly, the observation has been made that they have proven effective and popular because they are the sole opportunity for the disability community be the provider, to give something back. The disability community has the chance to build cohesion and self-esteem through offering a positive, cultural experience to the wider public. It is a rare opportunity to demonstrate a record of achievement and equal participation.
Perspektiva
Perspektiva is a Russian NGO of disabled persons, founded in March of 1997 after serving as the representative office for the World Institute on Disability (US NGO) for three years. Perspektiva's mission is: to support community-based disability organizations in Russia working for equal rights and an improved quality of life for persons with disabilities; to assist disabled people to acquire new skills and knowledge in living independently and in becoming fully participating members of society; to change misconceptions and negative attitudes about people with disabilities and break down physical and psychological barriers through public awareness education. Perspektiva believes the success of its activities is due above all to its personal and professional understanding of disability issues as more than 60% of its team of 18 have a disability.
Since 1997, one of Perspektiva's main areas of focus has been to raise awareness in the community about persons with disabilities. Since 1997, Perspektiva has carried out more than 15 projects, all of which have had a media component and have attempted to raise awareness in the community about disability issues and promote an approach of equal rights and opportunities instead of charity for persons with disabilities.
Films
During these projects, Perspektiva has used films to inform people about issues affecting the lives of persons with disabilities and to provoke discussions of solutions. Perspektiva produced and aired public service announcements, short 5-10 minute training films, and a film on "Equal Rights to Access" that featured local disabled youth activists. Perspektiva also used translated films at its trainings to present and discuss the social model of disability and the independent living movement. All of these films proved an effective medium for discussing controversial topics and demonstrating new approaches for improving the lives of disabled people in the community.
Media and Disability Project
In January, 2002, Perspektiva launched a one-year project "Disability and Media," funded by OSI - Budapest. This project is being implemented in 4 NIS cities: Baku, Erevan, Tbilisi and Moscow, and aims to impact the way media portray disabled people. This project will entail leading disability awareness trainings for journalists, developing a strategy for working more effectively with journalists on disability issues and testing the strategy by leading several public education activities and soliciting media coverage for the activities. One of the final activities of this project will be the Moscow International Disability Film Festival.
Conclusion
Previous projects, led by Perspektiva, where films (i.e. public service announcements, training and documentary) have been used as an educational or informational tool, have demonstrated that film can be a powerful medium for educating the public about disability issues, dispelling myths about persons with disabilities and promoting a new approach to disability which guarantees equal rights and opportunities and equal access.
Perspektiva proposes to organize and lead the first International Disability Film Festival in Moscow September 26-29, 2002. This project will be jointly carried out with Rehabilitation International, the Moscow Mayor's office, the Russian Ministry on Social Protection and Labor and other local and partner disability NGOs.
Rehabilitation International (RI)
RI has organized international film festivals in Canada, Portugal, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand and China and has featured sessions on mass media and disability at its world congresses and conferences since the 1980s. In 1994 RI and the International Labor Organization collaborated on a book, "Working together with the Media: a Practical Guide for People with Disabilities," and in 1998 RI published an International Disability Video Catalogue that is available on its website: www.Rehab-International.org
Disability films and festivals are covered regularly in its print journal, the International Rehabilitation Review and in www.DisabilityWorld.org an electronic magazine that RI has developed in collaboration with the World Institute on Disability and other non-governmental organizations.
Festival Goals & Objectives
Goals:
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Increase awareness in Moscow and partner communities about disability issues.
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Increase the capacity of Perspektiva to work in conjunction with members of business, art and government sector to lead a film festival and break down barriers facing disabled people in Moscow.
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Promote a more positive image of disabled people through film.
Objectives:
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Develop and test a new approach - an international film festival -- for breaking down barriers which persons with disabilities face daily.
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Increase media coverage of disability issues and events by soliciting extensive media coverage for the film festival.
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Organize and lead a series of seminars and round tables on disability issues which are raised during the film festival. Together with actors or directors, organize post-film discussions with the audience.
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Stimulate interest in members of the film and media community to produce films about and in collaboration with people with disabilities.
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Develop a resource library of disability films and make available to members of the disability community for training and non-commercial use.
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Disseminate information about project experiences and films to disability NGOs in the Russia and the NIS.
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