disability through a whole new lens
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Adopted at birth, Joe Broughton (Christopher Eccleston, of NBC's Heroes and BBC's immensely popular Doctor Who revival) is overwhelmed by an obsessive desire to trace his birth parents after his daughter Marie is born.
The casting of Eccleston, and the script by Peter Bowker, who both won the Royal Television Society Awards for Flesh & Blood in 2003, are top notch. Bowker spent 12 years as a special education teacher before becoming a full-time writer and his experience with, and understanding of, disability serves the production well. In addition to a highly celebrated script, Flesh and Blood also sets itself apart by ambitious casting. The key roles of Joe’s birth mother and father – Janet and Harry – are played by Dorothy Cockin and Peter Kirby, who themselves are developmentally disabled. Cockin and Kirby were cast after an extensive search among people with developmental disabilities in the northwest of England. This far exceeds efforts normally undertaken by either the U.S. or British TV and film industries and the commitment to authenticity pays off handsomely. Awards & Recognitions Don't miss our popular audience "talkback" following the screening! Call 212.284.4160 to reserve YOUR seat or email: disthis@dnnyc.net To sign up for regular email updates, please go to: |
Flesh And Blood, written by Peter
Bowker, tells the story of a father whose world
is turned upside down when he discovers the
truth about his origins.
When Joe discovers his
mother and father were patients at a mental hospital, and are unaware they have a child, everyone's world is transformed -- and not easily. For Joe and his wife
Cath (Emma Cunniffe), it’s the beginning of a
rollercoaster ride which challenges not only
preconceptions about disability, but also one's
sense of identity.