The 17th ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York (RFFNY) celebrating the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities worldwide, returns April 3-9, 2025.
The festival will open with the NY premiere of The Trouble with Mr. Doodle at The Shed on April 3, 2025. The documentary pulls back the curtain on social media phenomenon Sam Cox, whose compulsive doodling transformed his entire house into a black-and-white masterpiece that captured global attention.
Directed by Jaimie D’Cruz (Exit Through the Gift Shop) and Ed Perkins (Tell Me Who I Am), this intimate portrait goes beyond the viral videos to explore the intersection of artistic obsession, mental health, and family dynamics. The film marks a powerful collaboration between some of documentary’s most accomplished, with executive producers Simon Chinn (two-time Academy Award winner for Man on Wire and Searching for Sugar Man) and Jonathan Chinn (Emmy Award winner for LA 92 and Whitney) bringing their storytelling expertise to chronicle Cox’s remarkable journey.
“Opening night is more than a film screening,” said Isaac Zablocki, Director and Co-Founder of ReelAbilities. “It’s the largest disability arts celebration in the Big Apple, and a convening of communities. An appreciation of, and investment in, the power of the arts for everyone.”
Also on opening night, actress Marissa Bode who made history with her acclaimed performance as Nessarose in the recent film adaptation of Wicked, making her the first wheelchair user to assume the role, will be honored with the 2025 Spotlight Award. Her authentic casting resonated with audiences worldwide and inspired Broadway to do the same on stage with cast changes this March.
The Spotlight Award honors individuals who champion representation, imagination, and opportunity for under-served communities in the entertainment industry. Previous honorees include EGOT Whoopi Goldberg and Academy Award recipients Troy Kotsur, and Marlee Matlin.
Bode will be in attendance to receive the award during the festival’s opening night celebration at The Shed.