What Was it Like?

What Was it Like?
2020 Director/ Writer
Documentary
15 minutes

ABOUT

Eight adults with intellectual disability interview their parents about what it was like when they were children, specifically their parent’s experiences within the medical and educational systems. The documentary reveals issues of prejudice and injustice within two systems we should be able to relying on trust the most. As well as this, it showcases the unconditional and powerful of between the interviewees and their  parents. 

What Was It Like, was created and developed through a short documentary program I delivered through Bus Stop Films. Filmmakers with disability opted into the bonus class outside their usual program which was dedicated to creating a documentary on how the language of medical practitioners can have a traumatising impact on the parents with a child with disability. The documentary’s aim is to educate doctors, health care professionals, and educators on the importance of empathy, compassion, language and respect when working with the parents of children with disability. 

Writers: Lianne MacKessy and Genevieve Clay-Smith

Co-Directors: Joni Campbell, Liam Vosu, Nathan Basha, Shay Bell, Chloe Morrison-Greet, Sangeetha Punnia-Moorthy, Jack Leighton, Ricky Kremer