Films featuring people with Down syndrome
This diverse collection of films all feature people with Down syndrome. With music videos, feature-length films, documentaries, narratives, animations and more, these films curated from 18 countries offer a wide selection of creative projects all showcasing this population.
If acting wasn’t a hard enough job to land, throw in being disabled and see what reaction you’d get.
This whimsical short film captures a romantic moment of connection between two people waiting for a train that never arrives.
A man with Down syndrome dreams of reviving his dead mother. An expressive story, driven by visual poetry, not by dialogue.
Daniel is different. He’s missing something. He only has 46 chromosomes where 47 should be.
An encounter between 2 young adults with Down Syndrome and a group of youths, has unexpected consequences which change the day for everyone.
Another unique Cam Lasley hip hop music video. “We got each others back – until the day we drop – and we never gonna stop.”
‘About Brothers’ is a music video for the band, Delay Treesby, starring and featuring the artwork of director Teemu Erämaa’s brother, Tomi.
Lovely, simple, and compelling, this film highlights the work of a dance company consisting of people with intellectual disabilities.
Hip-hop artist Cam Lasley – “Every night I go to sleep – I see visions in my dream – It could be reality – If I would just go for it.”
Explore the playful ambition of Hannah Dempsey, a young dancer and athlete with Down syndrome.
The film follows a bride and groom’s various journeys on the morning of their wedding, with an expected twist.
A high school student with Down syndrome pursues her crush in hopes of securing a date for the Valentine’s Day Dance.
A short, experimental film depicting 12 different perspectives on universal, human emotions – all revolving around ‘love’.
A poem written by Cam Lasley, a hip-hop artist with Down syndrome, and performed/recited by Marlon Foster, a young man with an I/DD.
Explore the significance of difference and equality in the life of Eliza, a 20 year old woman living with Down syndrome.
The How’s Your News? team follows the 2004 presidential campaign trail from Ohio to Florida leading up to the election.
The famous “How’s Your News?” crew are at it again with their insightful and, often times, hilarious coverage of the 2004 Presidential campaign.
Ollie, a young mother-to-be, faces the possibility of having a child with Down’s syndrome.
Libby provides some insight about the joys of living with her best friend, and big brother, Max, who has Down syndrome.
A poem written by Emily Meek in which she states a variety of her wishes. A Sproutflix Production.
During an emotional time in his life Jimmy is enrolled, by his father, at a boarding school. While there he gets a crush on a waitress and meets a ghost.
This is a portrait of two artists with intellectual disabilities who use their art to express themselves and reflect the world as they see it.
Bobby and his brother Luke are looking for love… A comic look at the perils of dating with and without an intellectual disability.
Ingrid’s big goal is to hang glide. Her journey to the edge of the precipice took hard work, perseverance and character – the latter she has in spades.
A music video by Station 17- a collection of musicians gathered from a Hamburg community of people with developmental disabilities.
Jack Blond is a regular guy with Down syndrome who idolizes James Bond.
An inspirational short documentary about a boy with Down syndrome and his love of baseball.
Two kids on a merry-go-round, one is “normal”, the other has Down syndrome.
A vivacious woman forms an unlikely friendship with a Sudanese refugee through their mutual love of the street dance, KRUMP.
A tale about Viru, a self-proclaimed music buff, and how he survived his first day at summer camp. A Sproutflix Production.
During a road trip, Michael, a young man with Down syndrome, is determined to convince his clueless brother to teach him how to drive.
One of the songs from hip hop artist Cam Lasley’s 4th album. At the age of 31, Cam begins a new chapter writing songs that reflect becoming a man.
Rudely Interrupted, an independent rock group with 3 of the 4 members living with disabilities, releases their 5th studio project.
Experience the loving relationship of a mother and her young adult son as they hike 900 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
“Lydian’s Space” is an insight into the life of Lydian Dunbar an electronic music artist who also works in theatre and creates cross platform artwork.
In this story, Max is the principal dancer in a choreographed work that is inspired by the watery world of his dreams.
Lost to himself and the world, Mr. D is drawn into a world of long corridors, lethal waitresses and talk show hosts that decapitate their guests.
Free follows the path to freedom of people with intellectual disabilities that are locked away in Croatian institutions.
A group of students are preparing a special trip to the beach. Marina, a 15-year-old girl has a strong wish to visit the sea for the first time.
An introduction to Zulu P, a group of four rappers with developmental challenges who create some wild beats.
Miriam can’t quite live independently. Instead, she lives in a home share, supported by a woman named Annie. Annie controls most of Miriam’s life.
Jamie has a profound learning disability. Despite being close to nonverbal, he demonstrates charisma, humor and emotional sensitivity.
A modern dance performance – Navigating through life makes every human face different situations; some in favor of and others against the tide.
Ben is a spritely young man with a bright future. Living with autism is of no consequence for Ben, except when it comes to his boss, and finding love.
In 2007, when a Minneapolis Theater company put on a show titled “Rise of the Celebretards,” people with disabilities and their allies took action.
Meet Eddie. He’s a seventeen-year-old boy with Down’s syndrome. He’s stubborn and charming, funny and sometimes temperamental.
Travel through an imagined world in this short dance film as it presents a collection of rhythmic and witty scenarios.
Laura, Tim W., and Tim S. were born with developmental disabilities and are now living outside an institution for the first time.
The theatre group Back to Back prepares for a large-scale, extravagant spectacle, to be staged in a stadium for an audience of 5,000 people.
“Floating Boy” is the story of a young man who wants to fly. His father, wanting the best for his boy, wants him to stay grounded.
Kira, a bright and stylish young woman living with Down syndrome, compares herself to social media influencer, Chantal.
Ten minutes before a boxing match, a teenage boxer with Down syndrome fights for his right to get in the ring.
Actors with learning disabilities rehearse an acclaimed play by Claire Luckham, “The Choice”, a play about abortion.
A glimpse into the lives of two young individuals with Down syndrome living happy and fulfilling lives.
Duncan’s showmanship and determination to defy the bullying and fulfill his dream to perform in major cities around the globe.
Drag is about transformation. It’s about freedom of expression. But “Drag Syndrome” goes a step further.
Showcases the work of photographer Oiko Petersen, who decided to feature people with Down syndrome in a high fashion photo spread.
An uplifting and courageous glimpse into a young woman with Down syndrome and her daily struggles.
Coal miner Carl Short suffers from black lung. He lives with his 40-year old son Sammy, who has Down syndrome. Who will take care of Sammy?
Identical twins were born only three minutes apart, yet are separated by a large distinction: Ella has Down syndrome while Eavan does not.
A unique music video from Lebanon with a universal message of acceptance and tolerance.
Portrait-in-motion of a troupe of young adult dancers with Down syndrome.
On the day of their mother’s funeral, Dani finds his brother Joel, a boy with special needs, hiding under the bed.
Eugene, a teenage boy with Down syndrome, who is fascinated with rainbow mythology, has always felt like an outsider looking in.
A crazy night out for a hardcore man with Down syndrome and all his friends!
Please note: contains adult content.
The story of a man who copes with his disability by living through his dreams.
This animation is a dream sequence of Debbie, a young woman with Down syndrome.
Madrid dance troop Danza Down enchants audiences with classical ballet, traditional Spanish dance and musical theatre performances.
A trip between the real and the imaginary as characters dance to the rhythm of hope in a world without future.
A sweeping music video that so slowly and cleverly reveals the characters behind this slice of pitch perfect indie pop.
In Cuba, a group of mothers bring their children with Down syndrome to perform with joy and verve in a park for a public audience.
Social butterfly, fun-loving, theatrical Celeste enjoys watching back episodes of her favorite soap operas.
A short comedy about Kelly and Allison, who find out that the best friendships blossom when they are most needed.
A young woman who has overcome barriers and whose successful participation in a community college has enhanced the quality of her life.
Glen, a young man with Down syndrome, played by David Miller, goes on a shopping trip with a personal assistant from hell.
A look into the life and talent of hip-hop artist Cam Lasley.
‘Ruggero’ is a comedy that shows that love is not a matter of ability – it is a matter of fortune.
Moments of abandon letting go and enjoying the sensations of the forest, finally resting and being held by the forest.
A daily visit to a tree, a wish, and an outpouring. Erika created this solo during our first residency in the woods of Pembrokeshire, Wales.
An emotional journey mapping life’s up and downs along the length of a tree branch, finding moments of serendipity, anger and letting go.
The composer listens, the composer finds his place, the composer dances with the world. Shot in the beautiful woods of Pembrokeshire, Wales.
A unique group of performers with intellectual disabilities prepare for their first public performance at the Sydney Opera House.
Stranger Hero is an action serial featuring the world’s first kung-fu super hero with Down’s syndrome.
Hip Hop artist Cam Lasley performs his music against the backdrop of crime scenes, parking garages and the streets of Portland, Oregon.
The story of world-class weight lifter Jon Shapiro and his childhood sweetheart Holly James, both of whom were born with Down syndrome.
Follow a team of superheroes as they bring new life into a supermarket on the verge of going out of business.
Clark is working on a newspaper article when he gets a call from his aunt about strange happenings at The Lake of the Woods.
20 year-old artist Kayah Guenther explores his strength and masculinity through dance.
A chance encounter one night between Georges & Harry sets the scene for a carefully-crafted examination of love, loss and life rediscovery.
Through the lens of Down syndrome, Zion captures the heart and soul of his family, nature and friends on canvas and ceramics.
One day the monotony of Jared’s life is up-ended when he meets his pretty new co-worker Marissa.
Thomas gets more than he bargained for in his interview at a prestigious law firm; the chance to change the lives of a father and son.
A short film using the original camera invented by the Lumiere Brothers in 1895. Made by Jaco Van Dormael, the director of “The Eighth Day”
After the death of a close friend, a woman with Down syndrome goes looking for her brother.
The story of a unique art studio which gives artistic and cultural opportunities to artists with disabilities.
At an Edinburgh bakery, a community of workers with learning disabilities makes a variety of organic breads for delivery to shops in the city.
A 1980 Academy Award winner starring 2 young people with Down syndrome. This drama focuses on their desire to have a relationship.
The film deals with disability, emphasizing how ephemeral is the distinction between normal and different, when related to love.
“Beyond Borders” is a strong poet mosaic narration representing 3 people of different ethnic origin having a physical or mental disability.
Clark, a young man with Down syndrome, seeks to understand his own difference through his fascination with Sasquatch and Superman.
The story of Deirdre, a young girl from New York struggling to accept Los Angeles as her new home.
Two people with disabilities navigate through the challenges they’re faced with when their relationship is displayed in public.
A combination of funny and heart-wrenching – people’s candid and articulate self-awareness quickly shatter preconceptions of the disabled.
A young man’s charm and charisma challenges the prejudices of a stranger at a bus stop.
A silent Felliniesque film about a man who decides to go to the park to relax. There he finds himself in an unusual circumstance.
A tale of love, money, the mob, the FBI and a 1968 Chrysler 300 convertible. A Sproutflix Production.
Tom is anxious. He holds a secret in his human heart, a wing beat and a flutter, and it’s bursting to take flight in this tale of magical realism.
An insightful and soul-touching film about Jon, a 40-year old man, severely and profoundly affected by Down syndrome.
This film shows how independent and informed a young man with Down syndrome can be. The film gives a glimpse into a life to be proud of.
This auto-biographical documentary follows the filmmaker as he bids farewell to the housing cooperative he has lived in for eight years..
Rachel writes a letter to her future children describing her experiences of caring for her big brother who has Autism and Down syndrome.
This live-action/animated documentary explores the relationship between Vas, a man with autism, and his older sister Christine.
Hip-hop artist Cam Lasley: “I see it on TV – hear it on the radio – what’s a little boy to do?”
A playful and unsentimental portrait of Rene, a young man with Down syndrome, made by his close friend Duane Graves.
After a teenage house party goes too far, a bullied boy with Down syndrome is forced to take the reins and look after the bully: his brother.
“Ups Not Downs” shows how one family in the UK deals with day-to-day life with a child with Down syndrome.
A teenage girl who feels left out and ignored by her peers, is inspired to do something audacious in order to get noticed.
78-year-old Del Rae attends church, volunteers and participates in water aerobics. She also takes care of two women with Down syndrome.
Eight adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities interview their parents about what it was like when they were children.
Wojtek is a fan of Star Wars with dreams of becoming a pilot. Together with his dad they work hard to achieve what only a few accomplish.
A coming of age tale takes on new depth as a girl with Down’s syndrome learns about love, sex and looking out for those who need protection.
Three couples with learning disabilities travel towards a destination, by foot, by road and by motorbike across a beautiful landscape.
The music video of the title track from hip hop artist Cam Lasley’s 2012 album, ‘Against These Walls’.
Developed by EPCON