Do you work in disability support and are looking for a unique cultural experience to bring your clients to? Here are a selection of SWIFF'23 films that are as enriching as they are entertaining.
SHADOW
A trio of intellectually disabled activists call a Town Hall meeting to discuss the impacts of AI on their community. Fearing the worst, the trio start to devise plans on how to best safeguard those closest to them and the world, only for their discussion to descend into chaos. Could their greatest threat be right there in the room with them?
Exciting, humorous, and developed almost entirely with a cast and crew of creatives with a disability, this ground-breaking film is a fierce and essential example of authentic community-led storytelling.
BECAUSE WE HAVE EACH OTHER
The Barnes-Sharrock clan is a neurodiverse family living on the suburban fringe, dreaming of something a little bigger.
Janet Sharrock and Brent “Buddha” Barnes have five children between them, having blended their families Brady Bunch style, with a cavalcade of pets making for a busy household. But being neurodiverse comes with both perks and challenges. Family members have phenomenal memory, profound creativity, and technical prowess, and while feeling the same working-class struggles as all Australian families, there is an invisibility when you don’t fit into the mould of a neurotypical family.
MARCELL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
A beloved character gets his big-screen debut in this hilarious and heartwarming story about finding connection in the smallest corners.
Marcel (Jenny Slate) is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colourful existence with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope at finding his long-lost family.
NEXTWAVE YOUTH FILM AWARDS
The Nextwave Youth Film Awards (NYFA) brings the thrills, laughter, and excitement to the big screen, with short films from the next generation of young filmmakers across Australia.
This not-to-be-missed annual SWIFF signature event features live music, guest speakers, and a major awards ceremony, alongside the 28 incredible short films from a record-breaking 150+ submissions.
This is just a taste of the 140+ session program – you can view the entire SWIFF festival program below.