By Hudson Moura
What does it take to transform a legal promise into a reality? This question lies at the centre of Being Heumann (2026), directed by Siân Heder and based on the autobiographical book by American disability rights activist Judith Heumann, who also served as an executive producer. Starring Ruth Madeley as Judy Heumann, Mark Ruffalo as Joseph Califano, and Dylan O’Brien as television reporter Evan, the film reconstructs a decisive episode in the struggle for disability rights in the United States.
The film begins in New York in 1972, with an effective sequence showing Judy navigating a busy downtown street in her motorized wheelchair. Impatient drivers honk as they pass her, revealing the difficulties of moving through a city that is not particularly accommodating to people with disabilities. Soon afterward, Judy joins a group of activists demanding the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. They approach passersby, asking whether they know what Section 504 means, before blocking the street to draw attention to their demands.
The legislation promised protection against discrimination for people with disabilities, but its implementation remained unresolved. For the activists, the issue is straightforward: people with disabilities must enjoy the same civil rights as any other citizen, including equal access to public spaces, institutions, and services. Rights written into law mean little if they are not respected and guaranteed in everyday life. The film subsequently concentrates on the occupation of a federal government building in San Francisco, where protesters with different disabilities unite to demand that these promises become a reality.
Accessibility and the Power of Collective Protest
Most of Being Heumann unfolds during the occupation, which lasts several weeks and becomes increasingly difficult for those involved. The protesters face pressure to abandon the building, while the conditions inside create considerable physical and emotional challenges. At certain moments, they must decide whether continuing the occupation is worthwhile or whether they should pursue another strategy.
Judy emerges as a determined leader, encouraging the group to remain united despite their exhaustion and uncertainty. One of the film’s most powerful moments occurs when she challenges the protesters to stop accepting the invisibility and dependence that society has imposed upon them. They should no longer feel obliged to be accommodating or grateful simply for being acknowledged. When someone points out that they constitute a minority, Judy responds with a particularly revealing observation: they are a minority that anyone could become part of at any time.
She then explains the central contradiction behind their struggle. When people see someone in a wheelchair at the bottom of a staircase, they assume that the person is the problem. But the problem is not the individual; it is the staircase. All that is needed is a ramp. This simple example transforms the meaning of disability from an individual limitation into a question of social responsibility. People with disabilities are not the problem; the obstacles preventing them from participating fully in society are.
Judy also reminds the protesters that their struggle extends far beyond their individual circumstances. The occupation is uncomfortable, and the challenges will continue, but what they are fighting for is much greater than themselves. Their demands concern the possibility of a society in which everyone can exercise the same rights and participate on equal terms.
Joseph Califano (Mark Ruffalo), the government official responsible for signing the regulations, becomes the principal figure opposing the activists’ demands. The financial implications of making buildings and public facilities accessible are presented as a major concern.
The confrontation therefore extends beyond the signing of a document. It raises questions about the costs society is willing to assume to guarantee accessibility and equal participation. The film also suggests that the struggle cannot end with federally funded institutions. The activists’ aspirations extend toward broader accessibility throughout American society.
Another important element is the solidarity the protesters receive from other social movements, particularly the Black Panther movement. This connection with the broader history of American civil rights activism is reinforced by the inclusion of It Isn’t Nice, performed by Barbara Dane and the Chambers Brothers. The song complements the protesters’ determination, emphasizing the importance of challenging injustice rather than remaining silent or accepting the limits imposed upon them.
Media Visibility and the Strength of the Performances
One of the film’s sympathetic supporting characters is Evan (Dylan O’Brien), a television reporter who becomes increasingly involved in documenting the occupation. In a particularly revealing exchange, Evan tells Judy that he wants his reporting to inspire people. Judy immediately challenges him: does he want audiences simply to feel inspired, or to be inspired to do something?
This distinction is particularly significant. For Judy, visibility is important, but it cannot become an end in itself. The protesters are not seeking public sympathy or admiration for their courage. They want concrete changes that will allow people with disabilities to exercise the same civil rights as everyone else. Evan’s reporting therefore raises an interesting question about the role of the media in social movements: is it enough to make audiences feel moved by injustice, or should such coverage also encourage them to confront and change it?
Through this exchange, the film distinguishes between presenting disability as an inspirational story and recognizing disability rights activism as a political struggle for accessibility, recognition, and equal participation.
Interestingly, the film gives relatively little attention to the perspectives of politicians and government officials. Its principal focus remains the protesters, their relationships, and the difficulties they encounter throughout the occupation. This narrative choice makes the screenplay relatively straightforward. Rather than attempting to cover the entire history of disability rights activism, Heder concentrates on one particular confrontation and the people who made it possible.
The performances are among the film’s greatest strengths. Ruth Madeley is especially convincing as Judy Heumann, bringing determination and credibility to a character who must continually encourage others while confronting government resistance. Mark Ruffalo is effective as Joseph Califano, while Dylan O’Brien brings warmth to the reporter who supports the protesters through his coverage. The ensemble is equally impressive, particularly the actors portraying people with different disabilities.
One aspect I appreciated is the film’s apparent commitment to casting performers with disabilities in disabled roles. This contributes to the sense of authenticity that Heder attempts to establish throughout the production. Of course, historical cinema always involves some degree of fictional reconstruction, and the screenplay necessarily organizes events according to its dramatic requirements. Nevertheless, Being Heumann appears particularly concerned with remaining close to the experiences it portrays, giving the film a sense of truthfulness that is reinforced by its performances.
A Significant Moment in the Struggle for Disability Rights
Being Heumann is an engaging historical drama. Rather than developing an elaborate historical account, the film concentrates on the protesters’ determination and the collective effort required to overcome institutional resistance. The occupation provides the narrative with a clear direction, while the participation of other civil rights movements and the attention of the media illustrate the broader social importance of the campaign.
The film’s relatively straightforward approach also makes its central message particularly effective. For Judy and the other activists, the problem is not their disabilities but the physical and institutional obstacles that prevent them from participating in society on equal terms. The struggle surrounding Section 504 represents an important achievement, but the film also reminds us that the demand for accessibility extends far beyond this particular episode.
Being Heumann offers a compelling portrait of a group of people who refuse to remain invisible and whose determination helps transform the relationship between disability, public space, and civil rights. Its most powerful message is also its simplest: people with disabilities are not asking for special treatment, sympathy, or admiration. They are demanding the same rights and opportunities to participate in society as everyone else.
The problem is not the person confronting the staircase but the absence of a ramp. And the purpose of making that injustice visible is not simply to inspire audiences, but to inspire them to do something about it.
Being Heumann (2026) was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival and is now available on Apple TV.
Info: Being Heumann – Imdb