10 Great Documentaries for Disability Pride Month

Autism Goes to College

Autism Goes to College follows five students on the autism spectrum navigating college life, sharing their experiences with humor and insight. The film highlights their challenges and successes, while showcasing new approaches by disability services to support neuro-diverse students.

Being Michelle

Being Michelle is a feature-length documentary that tells the powerful story of a deaf woman with autism who endured and survived incarceration and abuse. Through her artwork, she portrays the trauma she experienced and embarks on a journey of healing from her past.

Bipolarized: Rethinking Mental Illness

Bipolarized follows Ross McKenzie's journey after rejecting his bipolar disorder diagnosis and lithium treatment. The film questions conventional mental illness diagnoses and drug treatments, exploring alternative methods for achieving mental health without debilitating drug side effects.

Crutch

This film chronicles Bill Shannon's extraordinary journey from childhood to international acclaim. Featuring two decades of footage, it captures his evolution as a crutch dancer and performance artist, highlighting his medical struggles, street performances, and empowerment of others.

Deej

This 2017 documentary follows DJ Savarese, a nonspeaking autistic student pursuing his dream of a college education while advocating for inclusion and literacy.

Defiant Lives

Defiant Lives chronicles the global disability rights movement, highlighting activists' struggles for inclusion, media representation, and public accessibility. Featuring interviews and archival footage, it's a powerful resource for discussions on diversity and disability.

Intelligent Lives

Intelligent Lives features three trailblazing young American adults with intellectual disabilities who defy conventional notions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper, the film interweaves the poignant personal story of his son Jesse, shedding light on the troubling history and continuing impact of intelligence testing in the United States.

Lives Worth Living

This 2011 documentary traces the history of the American disability rights movement up to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Interweaving archival footage with first-person interviews it is a powerful record of the fight for inclusion.

My Disability Roadmap

In this Emmy Award-winning documentary short, Samuel Habib, 21, dreams of dating, leaving home, and attending college. However, he faces significant challenges, including driving a 350-pound wheelchair, using a communication device, and the risk of seizures. Determined to chart his own course, Samuel seeks guidance from America’s most audacious disability activists. Can they help him achieve the bold adult life he desires?

Sins Invalid

A performance project celebrating artists with disabilities, offering a transformative exploration of sexuality, beauty, and the human form.