ReelAbilities Film Festival Chicago
Powered by the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival
Now in its 11th year and engaging with more than 30,000 movie goers, the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival is excited to be the official home of ReelAbilities Chicago!
The festival is dedicated to sharing the human experience of disability through art and film. ReelAbilities screens a variety of films, workshops, panels, and other arts programming at different venues in Chicago.
JCC Chicago is guided by Jewish ethical teachings, we believe every individual in our community is a valued member and must be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. We strive to give voice and attention to Diversity in ways that create a learned and inclusive culture. We believe in growing an increasingly diverse community to include all ages, genders, race, abilities, faiths, and backgrounds. Equity is at the heart of all JCC Chicago policies and practices. We believe all interactions among our community are vital to understanding, inclusion, and belonging.
ReelAbilities National
The ReelAbilities NY Film Festival was initiated at the JCC in Manhattan, in 2007. The festival was the first of its kind to present award- winning films by and about people with disabilities. Screenings took place at multiple venues throughout the city and they were followed by discussions that brought together the community to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience.
In 2012, Cincinnati, Ohio was the first city to follow in New York’s footsteps by hosting a ReelAbilities Film Festival. Since then, the festival has spread to over a dozen cities in North America, and we have received more than 500 films for consideration submitted from across the globe.
