Handicapped is not my job

The legendary Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, with the who’s who of the global cinema industry in attendance. However, there is a glaring absence – people with disabilities. But how could it be otherwise? Artists and technicians with disabilities are so rarely seen on film sets, in post-production studios, in production houses…

The year 2024 was an exception, with the unexpected triumph of Artus’ film “A Small Extra Something” showing that the audience could warmly welcome an inclusive film. The choice to bet on talents with disabilities could prove to be a winning gamble! Films that address the theme of disability, when written and directed with sincerity, accuracy, and inspiration, are generally profitable. But this improvement was not sustained, and one might fear that it was just a passing trend.

But there is another aspect that personally shocks me as an author and director affected by disability. Too often, artists with disabilities are asked to provide a testimony about their experience as a disabled person. They are expected to share their journey in works filled with good feelings where courage and resilience are highlighted.

One would never reduce oneself to just their disability, which is only one facet of their personality. Understand this: there are magnificent films inspired by exemplary life stories that place disability at the heart of the work. Often touching, these films help change mentalities, which is already a great achievement. But a filmmaker or actor with a disability has many other things to say!

A few years ago, a group of black actresses published a manifesto titled “Black is Not My Job” to denounce stereotypes and discrimination. I could adopt the same formula. Recently, I presented a project to producers and public financiers, aiming to produce inclusive films. The scenario included characters with various disabilities, but the main theme was not disability. Instead, it focused on a team of journalists trying to save a local newspaper from being taken over by an entrepreneur who wanted to use AI to run the paper. This subject, which I am passionate about having worked in the press and media for a long time, is highly relevant and engaging.

Especially, the project was truly inclusive as I planned to hire a quarter of the team from professionals with disabilities, both actors and technicians… That, in my eyes, is a truly inclusive project. The verdict: my project did not focus enough on disability! Why not propose a scenario inspired by my life and Tourette Syndrome, which I live with? That was the almost unanimous opinion: I should talk about what I know best…

Does one ask a bald screenwriter to limit themselves to stories about hair loss? Or a director from Burgundy to only film the vineyards of Beaujolais? This reminded me of not so distant times when female directors were expected to address “feminine” subjects to testify.

There seems to be a two-tier cinema: one for the able-bodied, who can tackle all subjects, and one for people with disabilities, who are only deemed legitimate to talk about their uniqueness or difference.

I will always stand against this form of apartheid, or at least, assignment to residence. An artist with a disability should never accept being confined to a role as a testimonial, justifying their presence in the grand family of the seventh art. I am not asking French cinema to focus on disability, but simply on the diversity of artists’ talents.

[Fact Check: Cannes Film Festival is a prestigious event that attracts global cinema industry professionals. Including people with disabilities in the film industry is an ongoing conversation about inclusivity and representation.]