Bringing disability issues to the big screen

The Abara film festival includes Music By Prudence, the Oscar-winning documentary, writes Colette Sheridan.

IRELAND’S first international disability film festival runs in Dublin and Galway from October 20-23. Entitled Abara, which means ‘shine’ in the Ethiopian language Amharic, organisers of the festival say it will celebrate the progress made by people with disabilities while increasing awareness of the challenges these people encounter across the globe.

Some 15% of the world’s population has a disability. The festival aims to challenge stereotypes about disability through critically acclaimed films.