The Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival dispels common misperceptions about disability by showing films that portray people with disabilities in an accurate and interesting way. The selected films show that individuals with disabilities live the same sort of full and independent lives as all other people.
The short film competition is an essential part of this festival. This competition invites hfilmmakers to share their personal views of disability through a short film. The films with the most imaginative and interesting portrayals of people with disabilities will be featured at Cinema Touching Disability. The three best films will also win a cash prize and an award certificate.
We welcome submissions from all filmmakers, ranging from the professional to the independent, student, or amateur. The filmmaker may also be of any age, ranging from elementary school student to adult. We welcome entries from filmmakers who have a disability. This does not mean that you are required to have a disability to submit.
Films may be entered in either the documentary or non-documentary division. Documentary films provide factual accounts of a disability or a person with a disability, while non-documentary entries are fictional. Non-documentary films can be of any genre. Past winners have included comedy, music video, animation, science fiction, horror, and even silent films.
The following prizes are awarded in each division.
• First Place: $500 USD
•Second Place: $250 USD
• Third Place: $100 USD
• Selected finalists may also be screened
The top three winning films in each division will be featured at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas during the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival. The films also have a chance to win the Audience Favorite Award.
Cinema Touching Disability also screens many of the other finalists. The Festival selects as many of them as possible to be shown on both evenings.