Media Review - Rachel is

From Tina -

I have been thinking of how this blog could better serve other families and professionals working with young adults with intellectual disabilities. I am always looking for new books, web-sites, documentaries and films on the subject of young adults with disabilities; particularly how they are negotiating their lives after they transition out of school. I do this on Daniela's behalf, and I know it can be challenging to find current and useful information.

Today I am beginning a new feature of the blog, a regular media review of documentaries and other media that I have explored and which I have found to be helpful. Hopefully, others will find them helpful as well. The films, books, etc.  I will be reviewing can be helpful in different ways. They may provide practical information to guide you or they may simply provide comfort as you watch how another family has negotiated their way to find the best possible life for their newly adult child. I will be reviewing material that covers young adults who are, like Daniela, capable of a great deal of independence. I will also cover material across the intellectual disability spectrum, including options for those young adults who will need total supervision for the rest of their lives.

I ask our readers to let us know if they run across a great book, documentary, or web-site so that we can share it with everyone who comes here. (Thank you in advance!)

And now, on to our very first review  - a documentary (I also provide information on two accompanying books).


 Rachel is- a film by Charlotte Glynn
presented by Jacktar Films


About a year ago, in my search for books on the subject of young adults with intellectual disabilities, I found a wonderful one written by a mother named Jane Bernstein. It is called Rachel in the World. It is a frank book and I was, at times, horrified and then, soon after, incredibly moved. I soon found that she had written a book about Rachel's early life called Loving Rachel. I bought that book as well.

When I had finished both books, I had grown quite attached to Rachel and to her mother and older sister. I went online, as I often do, to find out if there was anything else written about them. I was hoping to see if there were any updates on this complicated and engaging family.

I was pleased to see that Rachel's older sister, Charlotte, had recently completed a documentary about Rachel's transition from school to adult life called Rachel is. The Jacktar Films web-site gave a tantalizing video clip and I immediately wanted to watch the whole documentary. I checked to see if there were any outlets in which I could rent or purchase the film. At the time, there didn't seem to be. The film was making it's way through various screenings at different film festivals.

Recently, as I was re-shelving some books, including Rachel in the World, I thought I would check again to see if the documentary was now available. It was during this time that I had also began thinking about doing media reviews here on the blog (after I had written the brief review of the web-series, The Specials). I wrote to Ms. Glynn, told her what I had in mind, and she was kind enough to send me a reviewer's DVD copy of the film.

I have now watched it twice, loving it both times. Like her mother's book, this film is honest, unflinching, and sometimes challenging to watch. The participants of the film do not try to gloss over the difficult and frustrating moments in dealing with a sometimes exhausting and annoying Rachel. Those of us who have children with challenging disabilities will truly be able to identify with those moments when you are feeling like the worst parent in the world; dealing with moments when you just don't know how to keep going. Ms. Bernstein terms it as living in "hostile dependence".

As frustrated as she is, Rachel's mother never stops trying to find her daughter the best life possible, even when presented less than desirable options. Is her search for an adult living situation for Rachel also motivated by the exhaustion that living with Rachel brings? Absolutely. But does she also know that Rachel truly, truly wants to live away from her mother and that doing so would make her life fuller and richer? Ab-so-lute-ly.

As the time approaching for Rachel to transition out of school rapidly comes into sight, the search becomes more urgent. A less than satisfactory solution, Life-Sharing, is all that seems to be available and a trial run for one month shows why it's not the best outcome for Rachel. Just when things look bleak, a new support worker offers the family a wonderful new option that brings Rachel the kind of life that all of us wish for our own children with disabilities.

For both families and professionals, this is a moving and uplifting film. For those advocating for more and better services for individuals with disabilities, Rachel is will motivate you to keep fighting. To see Rachel find a life filled with dignity, friends, and joy makes me have hope that this next generation of young adults could, with the right services AND FUNDING, continue to  lead the lives they deserve - even when we who love and fight for them are no longer here.

For more information on this film, for screenings or to purchase you can go to: http://www.7thart.com/films/Rachel-is

Hope you enjoy this first review!

Tina