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As a visibly disabled person, filmmaker Reid Davenport sets out to make a film about how he sees the world, from either his wheelchair or his two feet, without having to be seen himself.The unexpected arrival of a circus tent outside Davenport's apartment in Oakland, California leads him to consider the history and legacy of P.T. Barnum’s Freak Show and its lingering presence in his daily life in the form of gawking, lack of access, and other forms of ableism.
Informed by his position in space, lower to the ground, Davenport captures indelible images, often abstracted into shapes and patterns separate from their meaning. But the circus tent looms in the background, and is reverberated by tangible on-screen interruptions, from unsolicited offers of help to careless blocking of ramps. Personal and unflinching, I Didn't See You There forces the viewer to confront the spectacle and invisibility of disability.
This screening is a part of the Bounce Arts Festival run by University of Atypical for Arts and Disability. It is made possible by the generous support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through National Lottery players.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast, United Kingdom
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