Disabled Britain on Film
From a rare portrait of the first spokesperson of the UK disability rights movement to a reimagining of becoming blind, this selection of mainly fictional films covers a range of representations of being disabled. Crucially, some of the films are authored by disabled people themselves, while others feature non-disabled actors taking on the role of a disabled character.
The idea of 'cripping up' - the equivalent of 'blacking up' - where a non-disabled actor takes on the role of a disabled person, is gaining ground in current debates about how disabled people want to be represented in film. Reflecting on the Oscar-winning performances of films like My Left Foot raises questions about what a rebooted version might look like, and whether the film industry needs to challenge itself about how to cast disabled actors into these kind of roles.Graham Findlay (disability equality consultant)Please note: titles in this collection may contain language or other content that reflect views prevalent in their time but that may cause offence today. They are included here for historical reasons and are in no way endorsed by the BFI or its partners.
