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The Independent Critic

Written and Directed by
Alice Elliott
Starring
Diana Braun, Kathy Conour
Running Time
40 Mins.
Website

 "Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy" Review 
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A 40-minute Crystal Heart award-winning short, "Body & Soul" follows two lifelong friends and roommates whose lives with disability are secondary to their lasting 37-year friendship. Kathy, with Down's Syndrome, is not only Diana's (who lives with severe Cerebral Palsy) best friend but also her personal assistant. "Body & Soul" follows the two women through life challenges, dealing with a system that often victmizes rather than empowers the disabled and as they defy expectations and live their lives independently. Both Diana and Kathy were present at the Heartland Film Festival screening I attended, and seem almost delightfully unaware of how much their story inspires other disabled persons, healthcare professionals and those of us who've become a bit jaded by the de-humanizing system. While "Body & Soul" does occasionally become a bit monotonous and could benefit from some variety in its pacing, the film is a remarkably touching look at the lives of these two women.