6 films about disability

Since cinema has existed, this art has wanted to echo all types of problems, situations and life experiences. One of them is the situation of disability. Therefore, today we will talk about 6 films about disability that will make us reflect on its possible impact on the life of the person and their environment.

According to updated data (2020) from the World Health Organization (WHO), More than one billion people suffer from some type of disability in the world. This represents 15% of the population. Disability can be of different types: sensory, mental, intellectual or physical, and its degrees vary greatly from one person to another.

Through the films that we bring you, we will learn about each and every one of these disabilities (also called “functional diversity”).

Thanks to cinema we get stories, some real and others not (but even these could be), of people who have had to face, from a young age, complicated life conditions or situations. We invite you to watch some of the films about disability that we leave you, because they all carry a valuable message.

Untouchable (2011)

Untouchable It is already considered a classic of films about disability. French film that tells the story of a millionaire with tetraplegia who decides to hire a personal assistant. This is how he meets Driss, an immigrant from a slum who has just been released from prison. A film full of humor, irony and many messages to reflect on life and difficulties.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

The theory of everything It is an English film that shows us the life of the famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. With her we take a tour of her childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and we learn about the relationship he had with her first wife, Jane.

It is a film that allows us to appreciate the struggle of this great scientist throughout his life, his beginnings in research, his findings and all the strength he gained to face the difficulties of his disease, ALS (Lateral Sclerosis). Amyotrophic).

We also see the less friendly part, that of personal conflicts: we see the passionate scientist, but also the person who suffers from the progression of the disease.

Champions (2018)

If you want to enjoy a good dose of humor and energy, you can’t miss Champions. It tells the story of Marco, a first division basketball coach who loses his job and who, suddenly, finds himself with the legal obligation (due to a sentence) to coach a team of boys and girls with intellectual disabilities.

What begins as a frustrating experience for Marco ends up becoming an unforgettable experience full of learning.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Another of the most notable films about disabilities is this one based on real events, which tells the life of John Forbes, an exceptional mathematician in his work. Forbes has schizophrenia with a very marked psychotic picture. However, this does not prevent him from developing his career and achieving the Nobel Prize. It is an American dramatic film that leaves us a great life lesson.

100 meters (2016)

100 meters is a Spanish film starring Dani Rovira. It tells the story of Ramón, a thirty-something father whose life turns upside down when he is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Despite this new diagnosis, Ramón decides to face a new challenge: complete the toughest sports test on the planet.

With the help of his grumpy father-in-law, with whom he gets along terribly, they both embark on a journey of self-improvement. 100 meters It is a film full of emotions and, above all, a lot of black humor that will make you smile. The same thing that is possible even in the most difficult situations, because that is how magical and contradictory human beings are.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

Another film about disability that you cannot miss is this French woman inspired by a novel, a true story. It tells the life of Jean Dominique, a man who suffers a rare neurological accident that leaves him completely confined to a wheelchair.

He is diagnosed with Locked-In Syndrome, a very strange and rare disorder that causes you to be unable to move anything of your body beyond your eyelids (and sometimes not even that). In this case, Jean Dominique can only move his left eyelid, but thanks to it he manages to write his own novel.

Disability and inclusion

Disability is a condition that imposes very particular conditions on the person who acquires it.. In this sense, if we want an increasingly inclusive society, it is advisable to make all types of groups visible, whether inside or outside the cinema, and become aware that all realities can contribute and also be nourished by the group.

Diversity is a source of wealth for a flexible and cozy. Cinema is another means to bring us closer to these realities and connect with the stories of people who have had to face complicated life situations that, in many cases, have allowed them to develop resilience.