12 things to watch on CBC Gem for International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Persons with disabilities have made enormous contributions to the world of science, sport, music, art, and more: from Helen Keller, Stephen Hawking, and Frida Kahlo to Andrea Boccelli, Michael J. Fox and the list goes on and on. Their lives have not been easy and because of that they continue to inspire many.
On this day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD), we raise awareness and celebrate the achievements of persons with disabilities through storytelling. Here is a list of documentaries, shows and movies you can watch on CBC Gem that offer a different perspective on life.
You Can't Ask That
Each episode asks a group of people with the same disability the awkward, inappropriate or uncomfortable questions you are too afraid to ask. It's an audacious, touching and funny series that is guaranteed to challenge everyone's assumptions about life with a disability.
Dream Boxer
After years of training, Charles is trying to fight in his first wheelchair boxing match — but it's not easy. He needs an organizer, a venue, and, most importantly, an opponent.
Inseparable: 10 Years Joined at the Head
Enter the world of ten-year-old conjoined twins Tatiana and Krista Hogan. They share sight, touch, taste, and may even know what the other is thinking.
Love, Hope, & Autism
Based on home movies, take an extraordinarily intimate look inside a family as they deal with autism from birth to adulthood, and agonize over what happens next.
Miracle Child
Born with less than two percent of his brain, Noah not only survived, he's thriving. Against all odds his brain has actually grown, leaving doctors to wonder what his case could teach us.
Night Strike
Johnny Tai is a blind martial artist and self-defence instructor. Underneath his independence lies an instinct for survival that sustained him throughout his tumultuous and abusive family life.
Prince's Tale
Six years ago, Prince survived a fire in his apartment. Both his arms were amputated. An actor before the accident, Prince's drive to create and connect are now bringing him back to the stage.
Seen & Heard
What happens when a deaf amateur theatre director and his hearing girlfriend unite a group of 30 deaf and hearing people to mount a unique adaptation of The Little Mermaid?
The A Word
The Hughes family work and love and fight like every other family. Then, their youngest son is diagnosed with autism, and they don't feel like every other family anymore.
The Move - Luca "Lazylegz" Patuelli
The Move is a six-part series that dives deep into the unique movements and inspiring personal stories of acclaimed Canadian dancers. Lazylegz, who was born with a neuromuscular disorder and uses it to breakdance like no one else, is featured in this one.
Top Ten Event - Rob Buren
From comedians to authors to entrepreneurs, these ten-minute talks will inspire you to rise above your old way of thinking on life's biggest topics and embrace a new perspective that will lead you to greater success and happiness!
In this episode: after a mountain biking accident left Rob Buren paralyzed from the waist down, this husband and father of two young girls decided to overcome his newfound reality.
Gabrielle
The musically gifted but developmentally challenged Gabrielle lives in a group home with four other adults who have similar disabilities.