Presentation
Brazil’s International Disability Film Festival is coming to its sixth edition, and we can not fail to mention that we are celebrating 10 years of existence, since our festival is biennial: debuted in 2003 and followed in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011. Itinerancies were conducted in other cities in 2010 and 2012, increasingly expanding its reach and enabling more people to benefit from the exchange of knowledge experience.
Nor can we fail to mention that we have never received so many submissions of Brazilian films as this year. And the most important is not only the quantity, but the quality of most productions. For us, it is a great pleasure to announce that this year we have a great selection of national films.It is difficult to say whether this increase in Brazilian film production on disability has a direct relationship with the 10 years of Brazil’s International Disability Film Festival. For our happiness, throughout these years, in general, we have been witnesses of a constant awareness increase of Brazilian society regarding issues of people with disabilities.
Brazil’s International Disability Film Festival is proud to have been the pioneer in accessibility of cultural products and to have introduced the audio description in Brazil, an accessibility resource for people with visual impairments. Throughout these 10 years, we have seen the accessibility of cultural products gain space on TV, theaters and major events, such as the UN Conference Rio +20. It is an indicator of a larger process of understanding, where the importance of the inclusion of people with disabilities turns into an universal reflection.
This festival edition is dedicated to the memory of Marco Antonio de Queiroz, web accessibility expert, author of the websites Bengala Legal and Acessibilidade Legal, and first blind person to integrate the jury of Brazil’s International Disability Film Festival, in 2007.