“Daruma” screens July 16 at the Crest Theatre

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“Daruma” screens July 16 at the Crest Theatre in recognition of Disability Pride Month.

The 2024 film “Daruma” comes from executive producer Peter Farrelly, the Academy Award-winning half of Farrelly brothers fame who brought the world the movie “Green Book,” which won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Farrelly’s involvement isn’t the only interesting detail of this film’s production as “Daruma” is the first film in the United States’ cinematic history to star two authentically cast leads with disabilities in a narrative not about overcoming a disability, according to the film's writer, Kelli McNeil-Yellen.

Written by McNeil-Yellen and directed by her husband and producing partner, Alexander Yellen, the film follows Patrick (Tobias Forrest) when he discovers that he's been a father for the past four years after foster care workers inform him that the child's mother has died. Now he’s the sole guardian of his young daughter. Patrick, enlisting the help of his old salty neighbor Robert (John W. Lawson), takes four-year-old Camilla (Victoria Scott) to her grandparents’ house across the country because he’s unable—or unwilling—to make room for the child in his life.

A through line of the film that audiences may not notice until the end is that this isn't a movie about disabled people being disabled. It’s not like the movie “Hear No Evil, See No Evil,” where the focal point of the plot is the main characters battling against their disabilities, such as navigating the world blind or deaf. Rather, the film promotes the humanity of disability justice by what it doesn’t do.

So often, films that include people in wheelchairs show them in a position of weakness or vulnerability, like crawling along the ground to get back into their chair after being dismounted. This film didn’t offer these tired tropes. Instead, the disabilities are a complement to the experience of the characters, rather than being their main point of conflict.

“Though the film is not based on a true story, I wrote “Daruma” as a way to process my own feelings regarding a spinal cord injury in my family,” McNeil-Yellen said in an email to the Sacramento News & Review. “Once that happened, I started noticing not only how inaccessible the world was for people who use wheelchairs, but also how movies and TV often portrayed disability. So many of those stories suggested that death was somehow preferable to living with a disability, instead of showing disabled people living full, messy, joyful, and meaningful lives.” 

This portrayal is the difference between “Daruma” and other films with disabled actors. The film does a succinct job of showing the real side of life with a disability. The veterans living community, which houses the main characters, shows dilapidated wheelchair ramps and formerly white doors etched by years of contact with hands and wheelchair rubber. The reality expressed in the script became a challenge for the actors seeking to preserve that realism. For example, when preparing this role for Patrick, Forrest held reservations that his condition didn't align with the character. Those concerns were alleviated once his portrayal aligned with the filmmakers’ vision.

“My concern with “Daruma” was that my character is a paraplegic and I am a quadriplegic who could not physically do what I thought was required. However, after sharing this with the filmmakers, they reassured me that this was not about what people can do but about what people can feel,” Forrest said of his role as Patrick in an email to SN&R. “This allowed me to worry less about physical limitations and keep my attention on the character's emotional journey.”

Forrest and Lawson’s roles as the two main characters who are also disabled were crafted with the hopes that disabled people can be seen in a more humanized light. This sentiment is expressed by Lawson, who plays opposite Forrest as the cantankerous old man tasked with driving Patrick and Camilla to Rhode Island, all while serving as the buffer between these two characters and their drastically shifted lives.

“I want viewers to see themselves represented in a way that reflects the reality of their experiences, whether or not disability is a major theme in their own lives,” Lawson said in an email to SN&R. “I hope the messages in this film will empower others by affirming that they don’t have to fit into limited narratives of triumph or villainy, but that their stories, like all stories, are varied and valid.”

Audience members who believe disability justice is important will appreciate the plot and execution of this film. They will find a heartwarming story of redemption and the triumph over the flaws of self, visible or otherwise. Locally, support for the message of the film is shared by members of the Sacramento film community, such as the Crest Theatre’s program manager, Joe Fletcher.

“When I read that the film was the first in U.S. history to star two actors with disabilities and executive produced by Peter Farrelly, I previewed it and decided that we should screen it,” Fletcher said in an email to SN&R.

Audiences should expect a film that they will get lost in, forgetting their preconceptions about disability to witness the story and the character development as uniquely human, no matter the physical limitations.

Carmel, CA – Minerva Talent, a California-based entertainment consulting and promotions company, announces its new partnership with the historic 950-seat Crest Theater and owner/operator Bob Emerick. Effective immediately, Minerva’s team will be handling all commercial booking inquiries and event confirmations for Sacramento’s iconic downtown venue that hosts live performances, film screenings, and special community and private events. 

This collaboration brings together Minerva Talent’s expertise in theater operations, agency/promoter/venue relations, and talent buying with the Crest Theater’s many recent upgrades for an elevated experience for venue clients and their audiences. Event organizers, artists, and patrons will benefit from a streamlined booking process that improves communication, customer service, and overall access. “Working with Minerva Talent means we can more quickly respond to phone calls and email requests for date holds, confirmations, and contracts while expanding our own booking opportunities. No longer will an exclusive operator block access to the venue from the entertainment community at large,” said Bob Emerick, Crest Theater owner and operator.

“We are honored and excited to work with the Crest Theater,” said Christine Sandin, Minerva’s founder and CEO. “Our goal is to enhance Bob’s tireless work since taking operations of his theater back in May by managing the venue bookings with integrity and responsiveness to all past clients and new venue renters alike. We also happen to have family ties to Sacramento and look forward to serving the community there.”
 

All booking requests will now be managed through Minerva Talent’s dedicated team of professionals. To inquire about booking the Crest Theater for concerts, film festivals, private events, or other functions, please call (831) 318-2652 or email: booking@cresttheater.com.

The Crest Theater has been a cultural landmark in Sacramento since 1912. Known for its stunning art deco architecture and wide-ranging programming, the Crest remains a cherished venue for film, music, and community gatherings. Recent upgrades and enhancements include major audio upgrades, improved air conditioning, return of the historic 5-story neon marquee, a refurbished grand drape, repainted auditorium, video feeds of stage activities to the green room, and new laundry facilities to better support touring acts. Additionally, the Crest works with Ticketmaster as the primary ticketing platform to provide enhanced marketing and pricing opportunities at lower fees. Further, the Crest’s in-house restaurant, Empress Tavern, provides for tour hospitality needs, meet and greets, after parties, and restaurant-specific events.