This blog has often noted the underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry. While approximately 25% of Americans have some sort of disability, a new study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that just 2.2% of characters in the 100 most popular films of 2023 were disabled.
For the past 12 years, Easterseals has been working to increase disability representation and inclusion in film through its Easterseals Disability Film Challenge (EDFC). Registration for this year’s Challenge began on Jan. 25 and runs through March 31. Filmmakers who wish to compete can register here.
The EDFC is a weekend-long filmmaking contest for people with and without disabilities. Participants make 3-5 minute films that seek to change how audiences view disability. Each participant is provided with the Challenges’ genre (which changes each year), themes, props and locations for filming.
EDFC was founded by comedian, actor and Easterseals Southern California board member Nic Novicki, who is a little person. In a statement, Novicki said that “disability continues to be frequently overlooked in discussions. As the entertainment industry continues to strive to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace, we must continue to keep disability in the conversation. We are honored to be a resource to Hollywood for talent with disabilities and appreciate the industry’s long-standing support of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. That support has enabled us to be able to showcase outstanding new talent and provide educational workshops throughout the year.”
According to Variety, this year’s contest will include films in the thriller and suspense genre. Winners in the categories of Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writer, Best Editor and Best Film will be awarded a $5,000 “seed fund/film grant from this year’s sponsor, Adobe. According to Variety, “the winners may use the grant to continue development of the short film, expand the short into a feature or series, or both.”
The Challenge will also award grants in the Best Awareness Campaign category. These winners will receive $2,000 cash prizes, mentorship, film festival screenings, computers and IMDbPro memberships (a resource that helps film industry professionals get ahead in their careers).
Winners of previous Challenges can enter their EDFC films in a separate competition to win $25,000.
In a 2023 interview for Variety, Mark Whitley, president-CEO of Easterseals Southern California said, “Hollywood has only begun to tap into the power of inclusion and to showcase this significant segment of our society. The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge gives filmmakers, actors and their crews invaluable entertainment experience and a chance to network with industry professionals. Likewise, it’s an opportunity for studios, networks, guilds, talent agencies and people working in entertainment to get involved to change the way we all experience and understand disability.”
The EDFC competition will take place from April 1-April 6 and the awards ceremony will be held at Sony Pictures Studio on May 8. You can view films from this year’s challenge as well as from previous years on YouTube.
