Producing films alongside people living with disabilities poses its own unique challenges. But when done with care, this results in stories that support and achieve meaningful representation for these communities. How do we make film production and impact campaigns more inclusive?

For the second instalment of the bi-monthly Impact Talks organised by EngageMedia and In-Docs, three filmmakers will share their experiences, best practices, and lessons in the session “Inclusivity and Creating Impact”. The session will be held on February 26, 7PM to 8:20PM Bangkok time (UTC+7), and is open to the public.

Director Hasna Mufidah will discuss the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities are properly represented in stories about them. Her narrative short film, The Train Between Us, tells the story of a deaf young man, Blima, and his relationship with his hearing girlfriend Manda. Mufidah will also talk about how people with disabilities, particularly deaf people, can actively work both in front of and behind the camera.

Wahyu Utami, director of The Unseen Words, also joins the session to share her experiences and lessons in working with differently-abled people in ways empowering to all involved. Her short documentary film about a group of blind performers and their struggles won Best Short Documentary in the Indonesian Film Festival 2017.

Lastly, impact producer Mila K. Kamil will talk about the importance of inclusivity in designing impact campaigns by sharing her experience working on the film How Far I’ll Go. The film portrays two blind teenagers – Salsa in Indonesia and Dea in the United States – as they prepare for adulthood and independence in two very different worlds.

Impact Talks is a series of public meetings among filmmakers, activists, campaigners, film curators, impact producers, and interested audiences to share and discuss experiences and ideas around creating impact through film in the Asia-Pacific. The debut session last November 2021 featured filmmaker Leah Borromeo as she shared her reflections on the impact campaign of the 2019 documentary The Nightcrawlers.

“Inclusivity and Creating Impact” is free and open to the public. Interested participants can register using the form below.

Register here