GHFF 2023 disability shorts

Triple bill of excellent shorts on the human face of prosthetics and life after paralysis

In-person: Saturday 02 December 10:30, Wellcome Collection, Euston Road

Lego Oma (2023)

Directed by Karina Sturm, 12 mins

Lego Oma is a twelve-minute micro-budget short documentary about Rita Ebel, aka the Lego Oma, a German grandma and wheelchair user. 

Since a car accident, which broke her lumbar spine and caused paralysis from the waist down, Rita has had to find creative ways to continue doing the things she loves, whether that is sports or activities taken for granted by non-disabled people, like shopping. 

When she noticed most of the stores in her hometown Hanau were impossible to access in her chair, she decided to make a statement by building wheelchair ramps from Lego, each a unique piece of art designed for each store. 

Her ramps are more than only tools to overcome physical barriers; they also raise awareness for accessibility and start conversations between different groups of people.

This film tells Rita’s story, from her accident, over finding new ways to participate in sports while very much remaining the stubborn athlete she’s always been, to using Lego ramps to force non-disabled people to think about accessibility.

New Eye (2023)

Directed by Eline van Diggelen, 9 mins

UK Premiere

In the Netherlands there are only three ocularists. One of them is the Frisian ocularist Jelmer Remmers. In his practice he treats adults and children who need an eye prosthesis due to illness or trauma. Together with painter and prosthetist Julios, Jelmer makes eye prostheses through modeling, scanning and craft painting. 

While Jelmer and Julios focus with delicate attention on the smallest details during the creation process we see the first unveiling of the proud owners. A detailed look at the extraordinary art, craft, care and engineering behind the little-known world of eye prosthetics.

Fitting (2023)

Directed by Caitlin McMullan, 11 mins

Fitting explores the relationship between the director, an amputee, and her prosthetist, by their contrasting experiences during the making of a prosthetic leg. 

It asks what it means for to create an extension to someone else’s body, and the impact this has on both maker and amputee. Demystifying this unfamiliar space and experience for the viewer, and questioning stereotyping and prejudice widely seen within our society's consideration of body image.