New York, NY (March 17, 2025) – The ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York is proud to announce the 4th Annual ReelAbilities Entertainment Industry Summit April 7–8, 2025. This premier event will convene leaders from film, television, and performing arts to explore and advance disability inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the entertainment industry. The summit is presented in collaboration with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, with leaders and innovators in their fields contributing to sessions.
“In just four years, the ReelAbilities Industry Summit has become a catalyst for meaningful change, bringing together visionaries, changemakers, and emerging professionals with the common goal to reshape all aspects of disability in entertainment,” said Isaac Zablocki, Director and Co-Founder of ReelAbilities. “With the support of industry leaders and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, we are fostering and facilitating a more representative media landscape on and off screen while increasing accessibility and opportunity for disabled creatives.”
In 2024, 89% of ReelAbilities Industry Summit speakers identified as disabled, with 25% of those individuals identifying as people of color—a testament to our ongoing commitment to intersectional inclusion and representation. Early estimates suggest even higher totals this year.
Serving as a collaborative space for industry professionals and disabled creatives, the Summit will discuss topics of accessibility, inclusion, and representation in all aspects of the film and performing arts industries, and explore beyond the basics into progressive best practices. Keynote presentations, workshops, and networking events will accompany the impressive slate of panels covering a range of topics and trends in the arts and entertainment industry.
The popular Crip Script Pitch and the Rough Cut Pitch Competition, which have served as a launching pad for several acclaimed films in the last two years, such as the winner of the Audience Award At Slamdance 2025 & Unstoppable Grand Jury Award Honorable Mention, Disposable Humanity (Cameron Mitchelle), will return with another batch of fiction, non-fiction, and TV projects, pitched in front of a live audience and industry judges, such as Sheila Nevins (former HBO, MTV Documentaries), Nikki Love (AMC Networks), Lauren Ridloff (The Walking Dead) and others, to compete for a cash grant by the Loreen Arbus Foundation. Other leading industry organizations such as AMC Networks, ITVS, Shine Global, Sunny Side of the Docs, Woman of Her Word, and Blackmagic Design, will all present awards, mentorship, production equipment, accessibility assets, and other industry opportunities to the winning projects in the different categories.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the ReelAbilities Film Festival and the Industry Accessibility Summit, which look to build support for the disabled community in NYC’s film and live performance sectors,” said NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman. “Accessibility and inclusivity within the creative industries is a primary focus of this administration, and this year’s Summit, along with the work being done through the Seats on the Spectrum Initiative, the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities and partners within the industry, moves us even closer to our goal of ensuring an equitable theatre going experience for all New Yorkers.”
Registration & Further Information
Industry professionals, creatives, and other interested parties are invited to register for the summit at: ReelAbilities.org/summit
For media inquiries, interview requests, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Lawrence Carter-Long
Director of Engagement
[email protected]
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The ReelAbilities Industry Summit At a Glance
A Pivotal Gathering for Entertainment Professionals
The ReelAbilities Entertainment Industry Summit is designed for:
- Film and television professionals – including producers, exhibitors, distributors, and content creators.
- Performing arts professionals – such as artistic directors, venue managers, and arts administrators.
- Filmmakers and performers – from emerging talents to established industry professionals.
- Disability and arts organizations – committed to fostering inclusive storytelling and representation, while supporting career growth and development.
Highlights
The 2025 summit will feature:
- Keynote Conversations – Engaging dialogues with prominent actors, directors, and advocates leading the charge for career advancement on stage, screen and behind the scenes.
- Industry Panels & Workshops – Topics include authentic casting, disability-led storytelling, inclusive productions, and the role of accessibility in changing the both the stories we tell and who gets to tell them.
- Networking Events – Opportunities to connect with peers, mentors, and future collaborators dedicated to fostering a more representative media landscape.
- Pitch Competitions – Platforms for emerging disabled filmmakers to present their projects to industry executives and potential investors for support and feedback.
- ReelAbilities Rough Cuts Pitch – The Loreen Arbus Completion Award: A $10,000 cash prize for film projects in the rough-cut stage, with mentorship and resources to support completion.
- Crip Script Pitch Program: Offering filmmakers with disabilities an opportunity to pitch feature-length film and TV project ideas for mentorship and industry engagement.
- Technology Showcases – Interactive sessions led by Vimeo and Amazon Studios, highlighting innovations in accessibility tools and inclusive content creation.
Commitment to “Baked In” Accessibility
ReelAbilities is dedicated to setting industry standards for participation, ensuring all summit events feature the following access accommodations:
- Open captions – provided for all panels and presentations.
- Audio descriptions – available for visual content.
- ASL interpretation and CART (live real-time captioning) – for all discussions.
- Braille and large-print – accessible event materials.
- Sensory-friendly spaces – designated areas for attendees wanting a more calm, quiet environment.
- Fully accessible venues – accommodations for all participants.
In line with ReelAbilities values and practices, the full production of the summit—including sound design, visuals, and livestreaming—is powered by professionals with disabilities, demonstrating the depth of talent within disability communities and modeling inclusive practices onscreen and behind the scenes.
Registration & Further Information
Industry professionals, creatives, and other interested parties are invited to register for the summit at: ReelAbilities.org/summit
For media inquiries, interview requests, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Lawrence Carter-Long
Director of Engagement
[email protected]
