Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

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

Actor Harold Foxx from the Best Director and Best Editor winning film THE TICKET discusses what makes the film challenge awards show unique. ID: Harold stands in a black shirt signing in ASL as he gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from his film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Actor Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS) a presenter who joined us on the awards show carpet says, “...nowadays, audiences understand what’s real and what’s not”. We agree! Thanks for your support, Wilmer! ID: @wilmervalderrama stands in a black suit getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Steven Charles-Ching from the Best Awareness nominated film I WILL BE FINE says the Film Challenge allows for a place of authetic stories to be told from disabled storytellers. ID: @zhatdude stands in a white suit getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from his film and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Actor and presenter Diana Elizabeth Jordan (The PITT) shares her thoughts about the diversity and talent that exisits within the disability community. ID: @fromtheheartdej stands in a pink and black dress while getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

Best Actor nominee Jessy Yates talks about the impact the EDFC has had on the entertainment industry and the recognition of disabled talent. ID: @jessyyates wears a green dress and sits in her wheelchair getting interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from her film VIVIAN PROBZ and the awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

July is Disability Pride Month! We are honored that our Film Challenge participants have so much pride for their films. We're proud to see how the disability community has embraced us and all those involved. This is another incredible year of workshops, screenings, and events we are so proud to implement. We're thrilled to see many opporutnities coming to these particpants. Help us spread the word about all the taent in the community. Visual description: Various people with disabilities inside the Cary Grant theater @SonyPictures #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #DisabilityFilm #DisabilityStories

Off the chain! #GOATmovie spends 7 consecutive weeks in the Netflix US Top 10! ⛓️

Yesterday we had a meet up event in New York City for film challenge finalists and participants that live in the tri-state area. We love having our #edfc family together in the big apple. #disabilitypride #edfc2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals Photo description: A group of Easterseals Disability Film Challenge participants sit and stand outside in New York City.

Joe Guintu from the Best Film and Best Writer finalist film AMOR FATI talks about the impact media has on culture and disability visability. ID: @jguintu wearing a black suit sitting in his wheelchair gets interviewed at the awards show. B-Roll images from the film and awards show are interspersed throughout. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardshow

We’re so thankful to all of the mentors who meet with our winners and provide feedback and advice to our participants. Special shout out to Phil Lord & Chris Miller and Peter Farrelly who have been long term mentors, supporters, hired film challenge participants on their projects, and presented at our awards ceremony this year! ID: LR- @chrizmillr @phillordy @peterfarrellybrother stand behind @nicnovicki on the carpet at the 2026 EDFC awards show #grateful #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #awardsshow2026

Submissions are now OPEN for The DARCYS! Honoring excellence in inclusion across film, television, and emerging media. Submit by July 14: socal.easterseals.com/darcyawards #DARCYS #DARCYAwards #DisabilityRepresentation #Accessibility

We’re so grateful for our partnership with Sony and the work and opportunities they provide our Film Challenge participants and the disability community. Repost @sonypictures —- #SonyPics’ accessibility and disability inclusion Employee Business Resource Group, EMBRACE hosted the “Everyday Inclusion On Screen & On Set” panel focused on the power of inclusive storytelling and representation, exploring the importance of authentic casting, nuanced characters, and challenging stereotypes. A networking happy hour and performance by Jazz Hands for Autism followed. Featured speakers included Sony Pictures casting leaders Amanda Richards (VP, Casting, Sony Pictures Television) and Libby Thomas Dickey (Head of Casting, Sony Pictures Animation), alongside actor, comedian, producer, and Easterseals Disability Film Challenge founder Nic Novicki and was moderated by Nadya Ichinomiya (VP, Finance – Agility & Change Enablement, Sony Pictures). #Inclusion #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #AuthenticRepresentation

PJ Germain and Marisa Hamamoto from BEFORE I DIE pose at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being a finalist for Best Editor and thanks to your entire team for making a great film! ID: people with invisible disabilities pose on an orange carpet in front of the step and repeat at the 2026 EDFC Awards. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

Cast and crew from CRIP CLUB pose at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being winners for Best Writer (Aya Obeid and Shan Hafez) and thanks to all for making a great film! ID: people with and without disabilities pose on an orange carpet in front of the EDFC awards step and repeat. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals

The cast and crew from THE TICKET pose on the Orange Carpet at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being finalists for Best Film and Best Writer and for winning Best Director (Jayla Hodge, Jaylin Hodge and Jerah Milligan) and Best Editor (Tony Pape) and thanks to all for making a great film! ID: people with and without disabilities pose on an orange carpet in front of the EDFC awards step and repeat. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

Aly Corvin from RECLAIMING poses on the Orange Carpet at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being a finalist for the Best Awareness Campaign and thanks to all for making a great film! ID: Wheelchair user @aly.corvin poses on an orange carpet in front of the EDFC awards step and repeat. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

Cast and crew from NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH pose together at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being finalists for Best Director (Vincent Rutley) and winning Best Actor (Vincent Rutley) and thanks to all for making a great film! ID: people with and without disabilities pose on an orange carpet in front of the step and repeat at the 2026 EDFC Awards. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

Cast and crew from BE RIGHT OUT pose at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being finalists for Best Actor (Colin Miller) and thanks to all for making a great film! ID: people with and without disabilities pose on an orange carpet in front of the step and repeat at the 2026 EDFC Awards. #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

Cast and crew from AMOR FATI pose on the Orange Carpet at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being finalists for Best Film and Best Writer and thanks to everyone for making a great film! #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy

The cast and crew from ZIPTIED pose on the Orange Carpet at the 2026 EDFC Awards. Congrats to being finalists for Best Film and thanks to all for making a great film! #EDFCAwards #EDFC2026 #disabilityfilmchallenge #easterseals #dramedy