Being Heumann film premieres at TIFF

The film ‘Being Heumann’, directed by Siân Heder, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The biographical drama depicts the life of Judy Heumann, a prominent figure in the disability rights movement.

Set in 1977, the narrative focuses on a month-long occupation of the federal health, education, and welfare department offices in San Francisco. Heumann and a coalition of activists staged the sit-in to demand that the Carter administration sign regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The film features Ruth Madeley as Heumann and Mark Ruffalo as Joseph Califano, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare who resisted the regulations due to potential costs.

Critics have noted the film’s earnest tone and its use of a large ensemble of disabled actors. While some reviews praise its moving portrayal of the struggle for accessibility and inclusion, others suggest the film leans toward straightforward, crowd-pleasing clichés rather than exploring the complexities of the movement.