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With: Jim LeBrecht, Judith Heumann, Denise Sherer Jacobson , Lionel Je'Woodyard, Joseph O'Conor, Ann Cupolo Freeman, Neil Jacobson, Sheldon Koy, William Bronston, Corbett O'Toole, HolLynn D'Lil, Dennis Billups, Evan White
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Written by: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham, David Radcliff
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Directed by: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham
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MPAA Rating: R for some language including sexual references
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Running Time: 106
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Date: 03/25/2020
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Crutch Down
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
This powerful, forward-thinking documentary begins at the carefree days of the summer camp, Camp Jened, which ran from 1951 to 1977, where its disabled campers were treated as human beings, given chances to shine, and even finding romance and sex. But the bulk of the film deals with an important 1977 protest in San Francisco, led by Judy Heumann, demanding federal regulations guaranteeing civil rights for the disabled. The protest soon escalated into a sit-in that lasted 28 days, not easy for some of the disabled folks that attended it, as they were without some of the services and equipment that made their lives livable. Few local news outlets bothered to cover the story, but groups like the Black Panthers showed up to help, serving meals. The movie features tons of candid archival footage, as well as some modern-day talking head interviews with Heumann and others, giving the story the kind of respect and attention it deserved all along. It was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.
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