Code of the Freaks (2:00 PM)

‘Code of the Freaks’ examines how people with disabilities have been portrayed in films over the past century. With fragments from over 100 years of film history, the documentary shows how Hollywood often uses stereotypical images, such as miraculous healings. This creates a distorted representation of disabilities.

Thirteen people with disabilities speak in this documentary, including actors, writers and artists. They call for more authentic stories in which the role of people with disabilities in films is reviewed and revalued. The documentary shows how social media provides a platform for such stories, while the film industry is slowly starting to listen.

The title ‘Code of the Freaks’ is inspired by the iconic film ‘Freaks’ (1932) and represents the fight against harmful representations of people with disabilities. ‘Code of the Freaks’ thus aligns with the mission of the DisABILITY Film Festival: to challenge existing perceptions and encourage dialogue.

The documentary will be followed by a lecture by Alyson Patsavas, writer and producer of 'Code of the Freaks' (see further in this program).