Toronto film festival opens with tribute to political activism
The Toronto International Film Festival has opened with a film celebrating the life and activism of Judy Heumann, a leading figure in the American disability rights movement.
The 51st edition of the festival opened on Thursday with Being Heumann, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Sian Heder. British actress Ruth Madeley plays Heumann, while Mark Ruffalo also stars in the film.
Heumann, who died in 2023, was widely known as the “mother of the disability rights movement”. She became a leading campaigner for equal rights for people with disabilities in the United States.
The film focuses on Heumann’s role in a historic 1977 protest in San Francisco, when she and about 100 other disabled people occupied a federal building for 26 days. Their action helped pressure the US government to enforce laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
Heder said the film was intended to show how activism can bring about real change and make people who are often ignored more visible.
The 11-day Toronto festival will feature nearly 300 films from around the world, including documentaries, dramas and films featuring major Hollywood stars. It will run until September 20.
The festival is also expected to attract strong attention from the film industry, with several films seen as potential contenders for next year’s major awards.
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