Defiant Lives

A feature length documentary that presents the rise and fight of the disability rights movement in the United States, Britain and Australia.

The title sets the tenor of this provocative documentary as it traces the history and gains of a struggle that spans decades. A lot of archival footage is used, much of it astonishing, and clever editing has transformed pieces from disparate sources into a coherent story-line about uncompromising activism. It's framed through the social model of disability, possibly upending audience preconceptions about what it is that inhibits people with disabilities from greater social participation. Defiant and powerful.

Sydney Film Festival 2017
Leap Frog Films 88 mins