Details

Release year: 2020

Storyline

Down the road from Woodstock, a revolution blossomed at a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities, transforming their lives and igniting a landmark movement.

Top credits

Directors

Writers

Cast

James Lebrecht — Self - Camper
Lionel Je'Woodyard — Self - Counselor
Joseph O'Conor — Self - Counselor
Ann Cupolo Freeman — Self - Camper

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Awards

0 wins & 1 nomination

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Did you know

• The idea to make the film about Camp Jened started "with an off-hand comment at lunch". James LeBrecht had worked with Nicole Newnham for 15 years as a co-director. LeBrecht was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair to get around, and had never seen a documentary related to his "life's work as a disability rights advocate". At the end of the lunch meeting, LeBrecht told Newnham: "You know, I've always wanted to see this film made about my summer camp".

• In 1951, Camp Jened was established at the foot of Hunter Mountain in the Catskill Mountains as a camp for disabled children, teenagers, and adults. The camp was meant to provide a nurturing community environment for people with a range of disabilities, such as polio and cerebral palsy. Camp sessions were typically four weeks or eight weeks. In the 1950s, the camp followed a relatively traditional summer camp structure. Alan Winters served as an early director of the camp. The camp was partially funded and supported by the Jened Foundation, a parent-led foundation that organized fundraisers. Counselors were typically college students who had been recruited for summer jobs.

• Produced by Higher Ground, Michelle and Barack Obama's production company.