A young disabled woman fights to hold on to her identity in the face of the world’s assumptions, and strives for independence from her parents, who doubt her ability to become a mother.
Gaslit is a short experimental film by Writer/Director Naomi Chainey, starring Nicole Smith as the unnamed protagonist. It is a surreal exploration of the discrimination and micro-aggressions faced by disabled women.
The title, “Gaslit”, is a reference to the 1944 film “Gaslight”, starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, in which a husband attempts to undermine his wife’s confidence in her own perceptions, in a bid to have her committed so he might inherit her wealth.
People with disabilities often experience an undermining of their own abilities and sense of self via the assumptions made about them, both by the people in their lives and the society we live in. Gaslit aims to turn a mirror on those assumptions, asking its audience to confront and challenge the ableism that still runs deep in our society.
Gaslit is currently available for community screenings and use in education and training settings.
Length: 9mins 34secs
Premiered: 2018
Contains mild sexual themes, references to abuse and occasional strong language.