The 2026 EDFC Awareness Campaign has officially begun! We had a record-breaking 144 films submitted! Support all these awesome #dramedy films by watching, liking, sharing, and commenting. You can view all the films on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Congrats to all our amazing filmmakers! ID: montage of images from the 2026 dramedy film submissions. #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #eastersealssocal

Neurodivergent actor Ana Sharp is starring in the feature Rise And Shine alongside Rachel Bay Jones and Danny Burstein. The cast features a number of disabled actors in pivotal roles including Jordan Walker Ross, Analesa Fisher, and Jordan Nichole Wall. Rise And Shine will screen in AMC Theatres nationwide during National Disability Employment Awareness Month and will be available to stream on Angel soon after. riseandshinefilm.org/ ID: Stills from the film including… 1.Poster art from Rise and Shine film with a young girl with a backpack and her mother two embracing in a doorway to a colorful school theme environment. 2. A young woman talking to a man at a school. 3. Girl dancing with another at a school dance. 4. Close up of Ana sharp wearing glasses. 5. Three girls posing together in prom dresses. #edfcalumni #disabilityrepresentation #disabilityinfilm #riseandshinefilm

Congratulations to EDFC alumni Jennifer Msumba! Her film The Fish Don’t Care When It Rains which won our 2020 Best Film Award has been turned into a feature documentary! She used the Adobe EDFC Grant along with additional grants to complete a feature documentary, which will have its WORLD premiere during the Heartland Film Festival! We can’t wait for the world to see this incredibly impactful and important film! ID: 35th @heartlandfilm October 8-18 above movie poster of @fishdontcarefilm featuring @jennifermsumba looking off into the distance. #edfc2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #filmmaking #autism

Actor Kiersten Kelly (Jurassic Word: Chaos Theory) talks about her experience participating in the film VIVIAN PROBZ and the positive environment of the awards ceremony ID: @kierstenkelly stands in a black dress while getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

We’re excited for our 2026 winners and finalists to be screened at this year’s #oscar qualifying Heartland Film Festival on Sunday, October 12 at 7:00pm. Tickets are available on the @heartlandfilm website. Looking forward to seeing you in Indianapolis! ID: image of @heartlandfilm festival logo above a spotlight of Easterseals Disability Film Competition with the date and time #edfc #heartlandfilmfestival #disabillityfilmchallenge #eastersealssocal

Congratulations to Vincent Rutley and Chrissy Marshall, two EDFC winners who were selected from thousands of applicants into the highly competitive Sony Pictures Television Elevate program! Vincent did a fantastic acting job in his role last night and Chrissy was chosen to direct his scene which was screened for an audience of industry executives. We are so proud of our alumni and grateful to our partners at @sonypictures who push for disability representation within the entertainment industry. ID: 1. @chrissymarshall_ @vincentrutley @nicnovicki smile at the camera in front of the Sony Pictures logo at the Elevate Program showcase. @vincentrutley sits in his wheelchair on stage as he gets interviewed at the Elevate Program showcase. 3. @david.radcliff @thetalanderson @chrissymarshall_ @nicnovicki smile together at the camera in front of the ELEVATE Sony program sign. #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #DisabilityFilm #DisabilityStories #DisabilityInclusion

Actor Jo-Marie Lawrence from the Best Film nominee ZIPTIED shares why she participated in the film challenge for a 3rd time and how her community has grown from the experience. ID: @jomarielawrence sits in her wheelchair in a blue floral dress as she gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Filmmaker Juan Arce from the Best Director and Best Awareness nominated film THE SHOOT was excited to make his film to spotlight actors with disabilities and to bring more awareness about the community to Mexico. ID: Juan sits in a gray shirt facing the camera. B-Roll images from his film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

We had a great time in Toronto at the St. Regis hotel where EDFC Participants in the area and cast and producers from BEING HEUMANN got to meet up and discuss the Film Challenge. Old friends got to catch up and new friends were made. We’re so grateful for the disability community and how connections are made all over the world. ID: Group of people with and without disabilities gather in the lounge at the St. Regis. #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #DisabilityFilm #DisabilityStories #DisabilityInclusion

BEING HEUMANN starring @ruthmadeley as Judy Heumann premieres TONIGHT as the opening film of the @tiff_net !!! This film has so many talented disabled actors involved including film challenge participants and our director and founder @nicnovicki . The film is directed by Oscar winner @sianheder.director and scheduled for a Nov 13th release on @appletv and select theaters on November 6. Definitely go check out this film about Judy Heumann and how she led a movement of disability revolution in America. ID: Ruth Madeley as Judy Heumann, looks at a crosswalk sign change from Don’t Walk to Walk. Title card: Apple Original Films. Judy introduces herself as she calls multiple politicians. Title card: FROM SIÂN HEDER. A politician played by Mark Ruffalo exclaims, “They’re not asking for a place on a bus…” Title card: DIRECTOR OF ACADEMY AWARD WINNING BEST PICTURE CODA. The politician continues, “...they’re asking for a whole new bus!” Judy tells people to move as she and her allies occupy a federal building. Title cards: OPENING NIGHT TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL and BASED ON A TRUE STORY but “story” is crossed out and replaced with “revolution.” Judy tells fellow disabled activists that they are not the problem, the stairs are the problem. Judy flips off a bus that honks at her in the street. Title cards: BEING HEUMANN, SCREENPLAY BY SIÂN HEDER & REBEKAH TAUSSIG, DIRECTED BY SIÂN HEDER, IN SELECT THEATERS NOV 6 STREAMING NOV 13 and the colorful Apple TV logo.

EDFC participant Jorge Urey joined us on the carpet and talks about why he thinks the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is important. ID: @jorgeurey stands in a blue and white shirt as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Marisa Hamamoto from the Best Editor nominated film BEFORE I DIE talks about the importance of “being able to showcase disability as something beautiful...” ID: @marisahamamoto stands in a bright pink suit as she gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

The film Where Did the Adults Go? @wdtagfilm is now Now streaming on Apple, Amazon & Kinema. Congrats to EDFC participant Carey Leigh Cox @careyleighcox for her lead role and everyone who contributed to disability representation in making this film! Support by watching and sharing! Video: Carey, a woman with long red hair wearing jacket and pants sits in her wheelchair while pulling out pages from an open book on her lap. #WDTAG #CareyCox #disabilityrepresentation

Jamie Nieto, 2x Olympian and actor, joined us on the carpet and talks about his first time attending the EDFC awards show! ID: @jamienieto sits in his wheelchair wearing a gray suit as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Janine Anne Uyanga from Best Editor nominated film DEAD WIFE MONTAGE, describes their feelings on being a part of the film team and at the awards show. ID: @janinestagram stands in a gray and white shirt and gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Filmmaker Brett Maline (VIVIAN PROBZ, WRONG GUY) discussed the reasons his film VIVIAN PROBZ focused on the inconveneicne of inaccessiblity and “”how much better it is when you have accessiblity at your party.” ID: @breezy__f__baby stands in a black shirt while getting interviewed at the 2026 EDFC awards show. B-Roll images from his film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

We are so grateful to @hollyshorts for another amazing #EDFC day at the 22nd anniversary of @theacademy #award qualifying festival! The day started out with us hosting a panel on “Authentic Casting” in partnership with @csacasting, followed by a networking reception. We had so many film challenge participants attend the panel, reception and our screening of the 2026 EDFC winning films at the @chinesetheatres later in the day! It was incredible to be networking and learning together among so many high profile casting directors and filmmakers! Image Description: 1. Group shot of Film Challenge participants at the “Authentic Casting” panel @loewshollywood . 2. Group shot of @nicnovicki with the panelists on stage at @loewshollywood . 3. Group of people on the red carpet at the @chinesetheatres for the EDFC 2026 winning films screening. #castingsociety #edfc2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge hollyshorts castingsocietycares photos: @charlieminhnguyen

Emmy-nominated actor Tal Anderson (The PITT) presented at our awards show and shared her feelings about why she continues to particpate in the film challenge. Thanks for your support and congrats on your Emmy nomination, Tal! ID: @thetalanderson stands in a floral dress and jacket while getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

This Saturday following our panel with @csacasting we’ll be screening our 2026 winning films at the Hollyshorts Film Festival at 2:30pm at the world-famous @chinesetheatres. Congrats to the filmmakers and film challenge participants from the films “Don’t Forget to Dance” (Best Film - Tim Bartow), “The Ticket” (Best Director - Jayla Hodge, Jaylin Hodge, Jerah Milligan; Best Editor - Tony Pape), “Neighborhood Watch” (Best Actor - Vincent Rutley), “Crip Club” (Best Writer - Shan Hafez, Aya Obeid), “Back to the Dark Ages” (Best Awareness - Anna Pakman). Tickets available via @HollyShorts and we hope to see you there! ID: Poster of the 2026 winning films including key art from each film. #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #DisabilityFilm #DisabilityStories #DisabilityInclusion

Join us Saturday, August 22 for a full day of #EDFC at @hollyshorts ! Doors open at 11am to catch our AUTHENTIC CASTING panel with @csacasting followed by a networking reception and then in the afternoon EDFC winning film screenings at @chinesetheatres . Get tickets today at Hollyshorts.com! Can’t wait to see you there! ID: poster for CASTING AUTHENTICALLY CONVERSATION & RECEPTION. Black background with white and orange text including SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 @ 12pm. Headshots of panelists include Grace Wu, Libby Thomas Dickey, Seth Caskey @sethcaskey , Tiffany Little Canfield @tlcnyc and moderator David Daniel of @cnn #hollyshorts #edfc #csa #filmfestival

Best Actor winner Vincent Rutley from the film NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH says the film challenge “puts us in a position to actually respect and appreciate every aspect of filmmaking.” Vincent was also recently selected for the Sony Pictures Television Actors Fellowship 2026. Congrats, Vincent! ID: @vincentrutley sits in his wheelchair in a gray shirt as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow