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Press Releases
UCP Names the Top 5 Disability Films of 2005 (01/11/2006)
United Cerebral Palsy, one of the nation’s largest health charities and a leading advocate for all 54 million Americans with disabilities, has announced its list of the Top Five films featuring people with disabilities in 2005.
“The accurate portrayal of people with disabilities in film is essential to informing the American public about the challenges families face and overcome everyday,” said Stephen Bennett, President and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. “The best disability films of 2005 tell stories that break stereotypes. From outrageous comedy to thoughtful drama, these movies are about people with disabilities living without limits.”
The Top Disability Films of 2005
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Murderball
The award-winning Murderball breaks down barriers to become UCP’s top disability film of 2005. Spotlighting the real stories of rugby players with quadriplegia, Murderball shows fierce athletes at their best and worst.
Web site: www.murderballmovie.com -
Rory O’Shea Was Here
In Rory O’Shea Was Here, two young men with disabilities break free from an institution to discover the ups and downs of living on their own in the community. Like United Cerebral Palsy, the movie extols the ideas of independence and self-determination.
Web site: www.roryosheawasheremovie.com -
Yellow Brick Road
In Yellow Brick Road, an official selection at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, talented actors with disabilities demonstrate their range on stage and in life as they present the timeless Wizard of Oz. The film premiered on Cinemax on December 21, with additional airtimes throughout January.
Web site: www.yellowbrickroadmovie.com -
The Kid & I
The implausible becomes possible when a washed up action movie star learns that growing up with a disability takes more courage than fighting bad guys on the big screen. Eric Gores, an actor with cerebral palsy and a member of the UCP family, makes his film debut with Tom Arnold in the Kid & I.
Web site: www.kidandi.com -
The Ringer
Like all Farrelly brother comedies, The Ringer doesn’t pull its punches. Instead, it deconstructs the stereotypes of disability through devastating humor. The Ringer is actor Johnny Knoxville, who tries to fix the Special Olympics, and in the process dispels the negative perceptions of disability. The Ringer, which opened in theaters December 23, has the greatest potential of any 2005 film to initiate a broad public dialogue on disability.
Web site: www.theringermovie.com
About United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy is one of the nation’s leading organizations serving and advocating for the more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Most UCP consumers are people with disabilities other than cerebral palsy. Through its nationwide network, United Cerebral Palsy offers services to individuals, families and communities such as job training and placement, physical therapy, individual and family support, early intervention, social and recreation programs, community living, state and local referrals, and instruction on how to use technology to perform everyday tasks. For more information, visit www.ucp.org or call (800) 872-5827.
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