Captions/Transcripts/Sign Language
Thirteen of the sixteen linked films/videos are captioned or subtitled. Two uncaptioned films have no dialogue: “Telekinesis” features only background music; and “Madness in Four Actions” includes a description of its soundscape in the notes. The other uncaptioned film (“Sight”) has a transcript available; email sandraATblissfultimes.ca. “Able” (captioned) has a supplementary transcript at the link, including a description of its sound poetry. Two films are in British Sign Language (“Bea Webster” and “DL Williams”)’; they’re captioned and additionally have transcripts at their links.
Audio Versions/Audio Description/Visual Description
The essay text linked at “disabled and queer history in Toronto/Tkaronto poetry” has an audio version that includes highlighted poets reading their work. Most linked films do not have audio description; unfortunately AD wasn’t commonly used or possible for all disabled indie filmmakers in the mid-2000s, and is still uncommon now. But two films do have AD (“Bea Webster” and “DL Williams”). “Able” has a written visual description and is primarily a voice-over poem. Several other films feature voice-over monologues that can be appreciated without audio description of the visuals (“The Chili Story”, “Sight” and “The Personal Things”). AD is available as separate mp3s for the films “voice/over” and “Atlantic is a Sea of Bones”; email sandraATblissfultimes.ca.
Links (in order)
1. Text In Essay: disabled and queer history in Toronto/Tkaronto poetry
Link In Essay: https://samizdatpress.typepad.com/hal_magazine_issue_twelve/my-arrival-at-crip-by-sandra-alland-1.html
Accessibility of Link: essay (text and audio)
2. Text In Essay: Disclosure, Sam Feder’s 2020 documentary about trans representation
Link In Essay: http://www.disclosurethemovie.com/
Accessibility of Link: website (text); promo video (captioned; no AD)
3. Text In Essay: a multimedia extension to my poetry book Blissful Times
Link In Essay: http://www.blissfultimes.ca/booklinks/
Accessibility of Link: website (text)
4. Text In Essay: Superfest
Link In Essay: http://www.superfestfilm.com/
Accessibility of Link: website (text)
5. Text In Essay: Oska Bright Learning Disabled Film Festival
Link In Essay: https://oskabright.org/
Accessibility of Link: website (text); promo film (captioned; no AD)
6. Text In Essay: ReelAbilities in New York in 2007
Link In Essay: https://reelabilities.org
Accessibility of Link: website (text); promo video (captioned; no AD)
7. Text In Essay: Sins Invalid
Link In Essay: https://www.sinsinvalid.org/
Accessibility of Link: website (text)
8. Text In Essay: Entzaubert Queer DIY Uncommercial Film Festival
Link In Essay: https://www.facebook.com/entzaubert/
Accessibility of Link: website (text)
9. Text In Essay: In my film-poem Able
Link In Essay: https://feralfeminisms.com/able/
Accessibility of Link: film featuring a voice-over poem (captioned, with transcript that includes description of sound poetry and visual description of film); essay (text)
10. Text In Essay: Bea Webster
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/246089479
Accessibility of Link: BSL film (British Sign Language; captioned; transcript; audio described)
11. Text In Essay: DL Williams
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/232862581
Accessibility of Link: BSL film (British Sign Language; captioned; transcript; audio described)
12. Text In Essay: voice/over
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/488939291
Accessibility of Link: film (captioned; AD file available separately from Sandra)
13. Text In Essay: Sins Invalid: An Unshamed Claim to Beauty in the Face of Invisibility (2017)
Link In Essay: https://www.sinsinvalid.org/documentary
Accessibility of Link: website (text); promo video (captioned; no AD)
14. Text In Essay: The Chili Story
Link In Essay: https://youtu.be/Ex9r5LFF0yw
Accessibility of Link: film (auto-generated subtitles; no AD of visuals but monologue can be appreciated without AD)
15. Text In Essay: Amazing Art, Araniello’s co-production with deaf artist Aaron Williamson
Link In Essay: https://disabilityarts.online/videos/disabled-avant-garde-katherine-araniello-aaron-williamson-amazing-art/
Accessibility of Link: film (captioned; no AD)
16. Text In Essay: Telekinesis (2013)
Link In Essay: https://youtu.be/afUFF0oVRfo
Accessibility of Link: film (uncaptioned but no dialogue; no AD)
17. Text In Essay: Madness in Four Actions (2008)
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/127563198
Accessibility of Link: film (uncaptioned but no dialogue and soundscape described in notes; no AD)
18. Text In Essay: Atlantic is a Sea of Bones
Link In Essay: https://visualaids.org/blog/aerb-tourmaline-statement
Accessibility of Link: website (text); film (subtitled; mp3 of AD available separately from Sandra)
19. Text In Essay: Follow Me On My Journey To Die
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/14956159
Accessibility of Link: film (captioned; no AD)
20. Text In Essay: Sight (2012)
Link In Essay: https://vimeo.com/72677693
Accessibility of Link: film (uncaptioned but transcript available separately from Sandra; no AD of visuals but monologue can be appreciated without AD)
21. Text In Essay: The Personal Things (2016)
Link In Essay: https://youtu.be/vzafzVv2G2E
Accessibility of Link: film (captioned; no AD of visuals but monologue can be appreciated without AD).
“Disability Futures in the Arts” is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts/Conseil des arts du Canada.
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About the Author
Sandra Alland is a Glasgow-based filmmaker, writer and interdisciplinary artist. They’ve recently made work/programming for Disability Arts Online, British Council, Oska Bright Film Festival, BFI Flare, The Deaf Poets Society, The Bi-ble V. II (Monstrous Regiment), and Imaginary Safe House (Frog Hollow/HA&L). Recent screenings include Queer City Cinema (Regina), Deaffest (Wolverhampton), TransLations Seattle Transgender Film Festival, and Entr’2 Marches (Cannes). San is co-editor of Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back, and has published three poetry collections. Their new short story chapbook/audiobook is Anything Not Measurable Is Not Real (Proper Tales Press). Visit her website at: www.blissfultimes.ca.