disability through a whole new lens
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It's a familiar scene: a packed nightclub, two people's eyes meet, one comes over to introduce himself... but this time, there’s a twist. In Lizzie Mickery's ground-breaking romantic drama, Chris (Mat Fraser) discovers Nicky (Lisa Hammond) is only four foot one, and she in turn discovers Chris’ arms are only half the length she expected. “Every Time You Look At Me” tells the tale of two disabled people who are surprised to find they are very attracted to each other. We see their love grow as they tackle prejudice – both their own and the suspicions of others – head on. The line quoted in the title, "every time you look at me you see yourself", sums the situation up nicely: Having spent their lives trying to ‘overcome’ their respective disabilities and integrate seamlessly into 'normal' society, Chris and Nicky are initially horrified by the prospect of becoming a couple. If you're disabled and choose a disabled partner, does that make you more of a spectacle and somehow more disabled? And does it – should it – matter? While the film occasionally shows obstacles Nicky and Chris face in their daily lives (notably when they check into the hotel independently, and finding that everything from the length of the chain connecting the pen to the reception desk to the height of the lift buttons conspires to thwart them), it's otherwise notably matter-of-fact about disability. The scenes of physical love, in particular, are shot with a tenderness and sensitivity that implicitly rebukes film-makers who have shied away from honestly depicting such material in the past. Don’t miss disTHIS! favorites, Mat Fraser and Lisa Hammond, whose individual short films (North Face, Urban Myth and Born Freak) have been shown to popular acclaim at previous screenings, together in their first full-length romantic drama!
An audience discussion with disTHIS! curator, Lawrence Carter-Long, will follow immediately after the screenings. Screenings are free, but space is limited! Call 212.251.4092 to RSVP or email: Lawrence@dnnyc.net See you there! The disTHIS! Film Series is made possible, in part, by generous support from the Christopher Reeve Foundation. |
