As one of the nation's few film journalists with a disability (spina bifida/double amputee), there's no question I find myself excited when authentic, engaging films centered around the disabled life cross my desk. It's doubly exciting when the film is centered around disabled voices. Released to coincide with Helen Keller's birthday, Possibilities is noteworthy for being directed by filmmakers who are low-vision and/or blind and because it's presented with open audio description throughout the entirety of the film. 

While Possibilities is centered around Helen Keller thematically, this is most certainly not a biopic in anyway. Presented by the American Foundation for the Blind, an organization in which Keller was very involved, Possibilities gains a good amount of its narrative power from Keller's life. This is especially true for the parts of Keller's life after the oft-familiar early years brought to life on both stage and screen. Fortunately, Possibilities doesn't stop with Keller. Instead, director Bill Sarine takes this 99-minute feature documentary into a tapestry that vividly portrays the relentless potential of others living their good lives as blind and low-vision activists and advocates, artists and professionals. Possibilities is a hopeful yet realistic film, neither overly sentimental nor devoid of emotional resonance. The open audio description complements the film's message mightily yet it's not simply a "message" - it's access. It's cinematically culture-setting. 

Sarine includes a variety of people with whom we bond and relate from Tony Stephens's reflections on Keller's legacy to contemporary folks like Krystle Allen, Leona Godin, and the marvelously talented Lachi (Seriously, go look up Lachi's music NOW). 

I found myself not only enjoying Possibilities from beginning to end, but I also deeply appreciated its cinematic and cultural lenses. For so many of us raised with visions of Helen Keller as a child it's refreshing to be immersed in the fullness of her life and accomplishments. It's also refreshing to then get equally immersed in the lives of those who continue to carry that torch - not in an "inspiration porn" sort of way but in a very meaningful and practical one. 

Let's be real. Accessibility isn't perfect and disability advocates nationwide have justifiable concerns about issues ranging from ADA to community living. Thus, a film like Possibilities is timely and vital. Premiering today, June 27th, with a simultaneous streaming release on Apple TV, Prime Video, and additional VOD platforms, the film is absolutely one to embrace. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic