DIS AND THAT

Disability in Film

Why the “Disability in Film” Showcase on Turner Classic Movies Matters

BY: Lawrence Carter-Long, Director of Engagement, ReelAbilities International
Thu, Jul 10

Image courtesy of TCM.

On Monday, July 28, Turner Classic Movies will spotlight disability in a way few national networks ever have. The evening features a carefully curated selection of films that, with the benefit of time, dare to ask not just who gets seen in cinema, but how those stories are told, who gets to tell them, and actually discuss why these things matter.

I’m honored to have curated and to be cohosting this one night event with TCM’s incomparable Eddie Muller, providing historical perspective, personal insight, and something still far too rare on national television: disability-led context and commentary.

This program is personal. It’s political. It’s cultural. And it’s a celebration.

It also continues my long-standing collaboration with TCM, beginning with The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film in 2012, followed by a one-night showcase in 2021, and the 2023 Disability Reframed series of double features. Each appearance builds on the last. Both the film selections and conversations about them continue to evolve, go deeper, and cover more ground. 

By any definition, that’s progress. 

Why This Showcase Matters

A central discovery I’ve made while doing this work is that, contrary to common belief, Disabled people have always been part of the entertainment industry—and every other sector of society. We’ve been actors, producers, directors, writers, costumers, producers, and musicians. But for most of human history, our presence was shamed, hidden, or erased. Disability was something to overcome or obscure, not to explore or embrace. 

Then, like now, disclosure could cost you your job. 

Our TCM showcase, like the others before it, is more than a film screening, it is a deliberate act of cultural reclamation. It recognizes the past that was almost lost, honors those who paved the way, and makes space for the work disabled creators are doing today. These films are not just screened; they are introduced with essential historical and cultural context and discussions about them are framed with intentional nuance, detailed research, and firsthand insights. 

And contextualized in ways that go beyond simply asking whether the portrayals are good or bad, because that is rarely the whole story.


That changes everything.


The Movies

Each title in the lineup offers a distinct take on disability—across race, gender, time, and genre.


Compensation (1999) – Directed by Zeinabu irene Davis
An intimate, poetic feature that traces two Black Deaf love stories set in different eras: one during the tuberculosis epidemic of the 1910s, the other during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1990s. Compensation makes its national television debut in a newly rejuvenated version with restored intertitles and dynamic open captions. Recently added to the National Film Registry, Compensation does more than represent—it redefined what disability-informed storytelling could be and set a new standard, paving the way for many of the innovative techniques used disability-led talent in film and TV today. 


Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) – Directed by John Sturges

Spencer Tracy plays a one-armed war veteran who arrives in a small desert town, unsettling the already precarious status quo. His disability isn’t incidental—it is central to how he navigates, observes, and confronts injustice. Tracy’s John Macreedy doesn’t say much, but observes his surroundings with clarity and focus. Not despite his disability, but because of it. The combination of mystery, unwavering integrity and purpose serve as a catalyst for uncomfortable truths begging to be told. Like it or not, shift happens. 


Ship of Fools (1965) – Directed by Stanley Kramer

Michael Dunn plays Carl Glocken, a little person who is sharp, funny, and despite initial impressions, doesn’t let others off the hook. His Oscar-nominated performance stands out in a film packed with stars, not because of spectacle, but because of substance. Glocken isn't a sidekick or a joke—he’s a callback to the original role of a court jester. A necessary disruption. A trickster. And, in this film, the soul of the ship with lessons and warnings for audiences paying attention sixty years later.


The evening wraps with CinemAbility: The Art of Inclusion, a groundbreaking documentary by disabled director Jenni Gold that premiered at ReelAbilities’ flagship festival in 2014.  Featuring interviews with industry insiders and A-listers, the film explores how disability has been portrayed in Hollywood through time—and illustrates how disabled creators are reshaping the narrative from the inside.


ReelAbilities + TCM: A Shared Vision

At ReelAbilities, we celebrate the past, elevate the present, and advocate for a more accessible, equitable future in entertainment and beyond. This ongoing collaboration with TCM is a rare and vital example of what happens when access, artistry, and authenticity come together from different starting points, but with shared, common and complementary goals.


This work matters because of the powerful combination of who is doing it, and where. Turner Classic Movies is more than just a cable channel; it is a cultural institution. When proposed changes to the network became public in 2023, the backlash was swift and vocal, prompting industry legends like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson to meet with studio executives and advocate for TCM’s preservation. That kind of defense underscores the channel’s stature. With its thoughtful curation and historical depth, TCM reaches more than 70 million U.S. households and commands deep respect from filmmakers, educators, archivists, critics, and cinephiles alike.


That is what makes this partnership so powerful. Featuring disability-focused content and allowing these showcases to evolve through a disability-forward lens represents a meaningful, necessary shift. It affirms our rightful place in the canon of film history. ReelAbilities has led the way in helping reframe how disability is remembered, represented, and reclaimed in cinema. Our work adds community-centered expertise, cultural accountability, and a proven record of amplifying disabled voices in media. Together, we are not just screening significant films; we are reframing how disability has helped shape cinema and actively changing how that past is understood, put in perspective, and improved on.

While not always expressed explicitly, Disability Pride Month has always been about more than visibility. It is also about history, community, culture, and truth. Honoring who we are, who we’ve always been, and centering stories that have too often gone untold.


Watch “Disability in Film” on TCM – Monday, July 28
More info: TCM’s official article

Media, interviews, or collaboration inquiries: Lawrence@ReelAbilities.org


When disabled people tell our own stories—and interpret our shared history—the narrative changes. That shift is rare. Powerful. Necessary. And long overdue.


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