The documentary Crip Camp was screened on the opening night of the notorious 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Numerous lines of ticket-holders didn’t end up getting a seat due to large demand. Part of the hype was likely due to the fact that the film was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, making it that more interesting.
What We Know:
- The film’s announcement in April 2019 was due in part by Barack and Michelle Obama’s upcoming Netflix programming via their production company Higher Ground. The Obama’s involvement makes perfect sense, given their interest in communities that organize to effect change.
- Crip Camp essentially begins as a movie about a place (Camp Jened). It the, ends up becoming a story of a sterling movement ignited by the young people whose lives were forever changed were given their experiences. The movie builds upon this idea of people working together pushing through obstacles and other opposition to make the world a better place.
- Its soundtrack featured many songs by Richie Havens, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young to name a few. There were also a great hand full of archival footage, of which included Camp Jened, thanks to People’s Video Theater group.
- One of the more important takeaways of the film was without a doubt, the community at Camp Jened. The film clearly implies without it, the disability rights movement may never had the same crucial grounding in friendship and love. Strong community ties are what movements like these depend on in order to succeed, and that’s still a concept that is relevant today.
The Sundance Film Festival ran from Jan. 23rd to Feb. 2nd and while Crip Camp doesn’t offer any tidy solutions to the ongoing issues, it certainly sparks a desire to learn and do more.
