Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

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Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

The 13th Annual Easterseals Disability Film Challenge takes place March 24-29th, 2026. Registration opens January 24th. Visit our website for more information!
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The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge gives filmmakers—with and without disabilities—the opportunity to collaborate to tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms. The film challenge is a 5 day competition in which filmmakers write, produce and complete an original three-to-five minute films. Filmmaking teams receive an assigned genre along with a list of required props and

locations. Teams are strongly encouraged to integrate story elements that acknowledge disability and include at least one person with a physical or cognitive disability. Registration period ends March 27th 2023
Tuesday March 28th 2023 @ 11:00 am PDST: Challenge begins
Sunday, April 2nd 2023 @ 5:59 pm PDST: Film submission deadline
April 8 – 17, 2023: Market your film
Friday, April 22nd 2023: Finalists Announced
Thursday, May 4 2023: Winners Announced

08/21/2026

Emmy-nominated actor Tal Anderson (The PITT) presented at our awards show and shared her feelings about why she continues to particpate in the film challenge. Thanks for your support and congrats on your Emmy nomination, Tal!

ID: Tal Anderson | Actor - Filmmaker stands in a floral dress and jacket while getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout.

08/20/2026

This Saturday following our panel with Casting Society we’ll be screening our 2026 winning films at the Hollyshorts Film Festival at 2:30pm at the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatres. Congrats to the filmmakers and film challenge participants from the films “Don’t Forget to Dance” (Best Film - Tim Bartow), “The Ticket” (Best Director - Jayla Hodge, Jaylin Hodge, Jerah Milligan; Best Editor - Tony Pape), “Neighborhood Watch” (Best Actor - Vincent Rutley), “Crip Club” (Best Writer - Shan Hafez, Aya Obeid), “Back to the Dark Ages” (Best Awareness - Anna Pakman). Tickets available via HollyShorts and we hope to see you there!

ID: Poster of the 2026 winning films including key art from each film.

08/12/2026

Join us Saturday, August 22 for a full day of at HollyShorts !
Doors open at 11am to catch our AUTHENTIC CASTING panel with Casting Society followed by a networking reception and then in the afternoon
EDFC winning film screenings at TCL Chinese Theatres . Get tickets today at Hollyshorts.com!

Can’t wait to see you there!

ID: poster for CASTING AUTHENTICALLY CONVERSATION & RECEPTION. Black background with white and orange text including SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 @ 12pm. Headshots of panelists include Grace Wu, Libby Thomas Dickey, Seth Caskey Seth Caskey, CSA , Tiffany Little Canfield Tiffany Little Canfield and moderator David Daniel of CNN

08/11/2026

Best Actor winner Vincent Rutley from the film NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH says the film challenge “puts us in a position to actually respect and appreciate every aspect of filmmaking.”
Vincent was also recently selected for the Sony Pictures Television Actors Fellowship 2026. Congrats, Vincent!

ID: Vincent Rutley sits in his wheelchair in a gray shirt as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film and the awards show are interspersed throughout.

08/07/2026

Actor Vedanten Naidoo (THE BLUFF) and director Frank E. Flowers (THE BLUFF) presented at our awards show and talk about the impact of “seeing so many disabled people in the industry working together…”

ID: VedantenNaidoo stands in a white shirt that reads “I’m Not What You See” next to Frank E Flowers in a suit as they get interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout.

08/04/2026

Wren Brooks, Best Director nominee for the film DEAD WIFE MONTAGE, shares her thoughts on what will create more disability liberation.

ID: wren (lauren) brooks ! 🃏 sits in their wheelchair wearing a taupe patterned shirt while getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film and the awards show are interspersed throughout.

08/01/2026

Oscar-winning director Siân Heder (CODA) presented at the awards show and talks about the more that disabled filmmakers are able showcase their talent, “the more the community is going to start to infitrate Hollywood.”

We can’t wait for her next film “Being Heumann”, a bio pic of Judy Heumann Legacy which will be released this fall and has an authentically disabled cast and features many film challenge participants !

ID: Sian Heder stands in a brown and black pattered dress as she gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout.

07/28/2026

PJ Germain, Best Editor nominee for the film BEFORE I DIE talks about discovering and joining a new community of disabled filmmakers through his particpation in the film challenge.

ID: Pj Germain stands in a black shirt as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film Before I Die - Short Film by Marisa Hamamoto | Dancer | Creative | Keynote Speaker and the awards show are interspersed throughout.

07/25/2026

Today the Academy Museum recognized 3 great neurodivergent filmmakers from the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge and Marvels of Media Film: Tal Anderson, Coby Bird, and Jennifer Msumba showcased their films below to represent filmmakers with Autism followed by a Q&A. We had a great time watching these films on the big screen! Thank you to the Academy Museum and Jim LeBrecht and Lawrence Carter-Long for your disability inclusion work with the museum and for everyone who attended!

    •    Breaking Normal | DIRECTED BY: Jessica Cabot | WRITTEN BY: Nicole Betz | WITH: Tal Anderson, Anthony Purnell, Vickie Anderson | 2024 | 6 min. | USA | Color | English | DCP
    •    The Question | DIRECTED/WRITTEN BY: Coby Bird | WITH: Coby Bird | 2023 | 4 min. | USA | Color | English | DCP
    •    The Fish Don’t Care When It Rains | DIRECTED/WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Msumba | WITH: Jennifer Msumba | 2020 | 5 min. | USA | Color | English | DCP

ID:
1. Tal Anderson, Coby Bird, and Jennifer Msumba Josh Sapan(founder of Marvels and Media) and Nic Novicki (founder of EDFC) smiling next to the Oscar statue at the academy museum in Los Angeles.
2. Panel of filmmakers on stage discussing their films with their names and titles on a big screen behind them.

07/24/2026

Filmmaker Jaylin Hodge from the Best Director and Best Editor winning film THE TICKET discusses the need for more representation and her first time being at the awards show.

ID: Jaylin Hodge stands in a red dress and jacket as she gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout.

Address

Glendale, CA

Website

https://www.disabilityfilmchallenge.com/

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