Gillian Film

Distributed by New Day Films, 190 Route 17M, P.O. Box 1084, Harriman, NY 10926; 888-367-9154 or 845-774-7051Produced by New Day FilmsDirected by Joanne Herschfield2006, DVD, color, 44 min. This video, narrated by Gillian’s mother, and pieced together from adequate home video footage, portrays one developmentally disabled girl’s success story as she struggles to gain her independence from her parents. Her disability was discovered following many misdiagnoses while she was a toddler and her parents found ways for her to become all that she can be while documenting them in home video. Some footage is shown with Gillian talking to the camera, and some is narrated by her mother. The focus of the film seems to be her moving into a shared apartment and working in a veterinarian clinic; with footage of her growing up horseback riding, going to dance class, interacting with other young adults with disabilities, participating in the Special Olympics and practicing reading and spelling along the way. The narration and videography are clear (there is some beautiful footage of jellyfish and other aquarium fish); some scenes go on a bit longer than seems necessary, and transitions are simply a graying out and then jumping to the next scene. Although a lovely story of Gillian’s success, I don’t believe that it meets the jewel case's stated purpose of transformation; “understating of the meaning and worth of people with developmental disabilities.” In order to do that it would need to be more than a success story related by a mother. A definition of her level of disability would be helpful since she seems very high functioning; therefore possibly allowing unrealistic hopes for those not so fortunate. Data and other information could have been included that would have made it more successful at meeting its goal. In addition, while this video may have been much needed twenty-five years ago when Gillian was a child, today schools and society in general are much better at inclusion than is the assumption given in the video. Awards Director’s Citation Award, Black Maria Film Festival, 2006