Who gets to tell these stories and are they getting it right? In this episode of the Crip Trip Podcast, Danny and Fred are joined by Jim Lebrecht (Crip Camp) to break down how disability is portrayed across film, TV and media. From casting choices to stereotypes and missed opportunities, they unpack what the industry gets wrong and where it needs to go next. This is a real conversation about representation, authenticity and changing the narrative.
Who gets to tell these stories and are they getting it right? In this episode of the Crip Trip Podcast, Danny and Fred are joined by Filmmaker, Activist & Podcast Host, Jim Lebrecht (Crip Camp) to break down how disability is portrayed across film, TV and media. From casting choices to stereotypes and missed opportunities, they unpack what the industry gets wrong and where it needs to go next. This is a real conversation about representation, authenticity and changing the narrative.
Watch the Video Podcast episode now on YouTube
Chapters
Jim Lebrecht Bio - Filmmaker, Activist & Podcast Host
Jim LeBrecht is an award-winning filmmaker, disability rights activist, and co-director of the groundbreaking documentary Crip Camp. A Netflix Original Documentary, Crip Camp, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature and a Peabody Award.
His latest work, Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act, chronicles the decades-long struggle for disability rights and the bipartisan support that led to the passage of this landmark legislation.
With over 40 years of experience in sound design and filmmaking, Jim is also the host of The Art of Documentary, a podcast by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The series offers in-depth conversations with some of today’s most influential documentary filmmakers, exploring their creative processes, personal journeys, and the stories behind their films.
He is a co-founder of FWD-Doc, an international membership organization that supports disabled filmmakers, and the 1in4 Coalition, which advocates for greater inclusion and representation of disabled people in the entertainment industry.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020, Documentary)
https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81001496
A groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality.
Learn more About the Disability Visibility Project
https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/
The Disability Visibility Project is an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture.
Alice Wong (Bio)
https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/about/
Alice Wong (she/her) is a disabled activist, writer, editor, and community organizer. Alice is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture.
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
https://itvs.org/
Independent Television Service is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
We bring powerful, untold stories that reflect the struggles, hopes, and triumphs of people across America. Through our documentaries, we amplify your voice and the voices of your community—whether they live next door or thousands of miles away.
The Tallest Dwarf (Documentary)
https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/the-tallest-dwarf/
The Tallest Dwarf follows filmmaker Julie Forrest Wyman as she searches for her place in the little people community and unpacks rumors of dwarfism in her own family. Through intimate stories, creative collaborations, and archival history, the film delves into identity and medicine, asking whether society should change people or the structures that limit them.