By RachelSokol
IF you love documentaries or documentary-style movies with a poignant social message (basically, a movie that really makes you think), you’ll soak up every second of GRACE.
Written and directed by the talented Anna Rodgers, the short film explores adulthood, love, disability, and the right to make one’s own decisions.
GRACE recently made its international premiere at the Cleveland International Film Festival and has sparked conversations about autonomy and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.
“It’s a film about a young woman who has Down syndrome; she’s finding love and finding her voice,” says Rodgers in an exclusive interview with Preferred Health. “Yes, it’s a love story, but it is also really about decision-making and the complexity of that when you have an intellectual disability.”
Rodgers said casting the role of Grace was one of the biggest challenges of the production, but she immediately knew Fiadhnait (“Fia”) Canning was “the one.”
“She had something I’d never seen before. You could see she was living and breathing the character.”
Canning, a public speaker and advocate who also has Down syndrome, impressed Rodgers during auditions with her natural improvisation and emotional depth despite having no prior screen experience.
In the film, Grace falls in love with Tommy (Luca Malocco Mulville), another young adult with an intellectual disability. Grace wants the same experiences as any other adult—especially some alone, romantic time with Tommy.
However, staff members who mentor her, along with her family members, question Grace’s ability to make significant life choices. A key worker accompanies her during a romantic getaway with Tommy, hoping to prevent the couple from becoming intimate. Eventually, Grace becomes pregnant and faces mounting pressure from loved ones who do not believe she is capable of raising a child.
Rodgers said she intentionally wanted the film to explore the emotional complexity surrounding disability, caregiving, and protection—which it does. Grace is surrounded by people who want what is best for her, but she remains firm that she knows what is best for herself.
The film definitely makes viewers wonder what they would do in this situation if they were Grace or had a family member like Grace. “Grace’s mother in the film is not a villain,” says Rodgers.
“Any parent can identify with wanting to protect young people from making mistakes. But part of falling in love, part of being human, is taking risks and maybe making some mistakes along the way.”
The law that inspired the movie GRACE was inspired by Rodgers’ years of documentary work on disability rights in Ireland. In 2012, Rodgers and her production company, Invisible Thread Films, created the documentary Somebody to Love, which explored sex, relationships, and disability.
While working on that film, Rodgers learned about an Irish law that effectively discouraged individuals with intellectual disabilities from pursuing romantic relationships.
“The law was there to protect people,” she explains. “But the outcome of the law was that it had a chilling effect. Families and services didn’t feel comfortable facilitating relationships or allowing people to experience romance.”
Things are changing for the better socially. Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which was enacted in 2023, emphasizes that adults with disabilities have the right to participate in decisions about their own lives.
According to Rodgers, GRACE is not arguing that every person with an intellectual disability has the same needs or abilities. Rather, the film challenges the notion that just because someone has a disability does not mean they cannot advocate for themselves—especially when it comes to love, romance, and sex.
“The main point of it is to remember to include these individuals in conversations and make sure they’re informed and educated so they can make those decisions.”
The response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive, says Rodgers, particularly from members of the disability community.
“I was nervous about how people would react,” she admits. “But people with disabilities themselves wrote to me and thanked me for representing their lives and desires on screen.”
At the moment, GRACE cannot be viewed online until the film festival season concludes—so stay tuned! For more information about Rodgers’ production company, visit Invisible Thread Films or follow InvisibleThreadFilms on Facebook.