Being Heumann (2026)
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A biographical drama based on the memoir of a disability rights activist.
The story
Being Heumann is a biographical drama that follows the life of disability rights activist Judith Heumann. The film explores her journey as an activist, featuring her interactions with various figures, including the United States secretary of health, education and welfare, Joseph A. Califano Jr. The narrative also includes the perspective of a reporter, Evan White, who embeds himself with Heumann and other activists during their protests to document their movement.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Being Heumann is a biographical drama based on the memoir 'Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist' by Judith Heumann. The film stars Ruth Madeley as Judith Heumann, a prominent disability rights activist. The story depicts her activism and the challenges she faced, including her interactions with government officials like Joseph A. Califano Jr. (Mark Ruffalo). It also features the perspective of Evan White (Dylan O'Brien), a reporter who embeds with Heumann and other activists during their protests. The film portrays the internal dynamics of the movement, including interactions with other activists like Kitty Cone (Madeline Delp) and various political figures like Congressman George Miller (Rob Delaney). The narrative covers Heumann's life, her advocacy, and the broader struggle for disability rights in the United States.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sian Heder
- Writers
- Sian Heder · screenplay; Rebekah Taussig · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ruth Madeley · Judith Heumann; Mark Ruffalo · Joseph A. Califano Jr.; Dylan O'Brien · Evan White; Madeline Delp · Kitty Cone; Rob Delaney · Congressman George Miller; Ray Fisher · Chuck Jackson; Michael Patrick Thornton · Ed Roberts; Antwan Tolliver · Brad Lomax
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- disability rights; activism
- Tone and mood
- biographical; drama
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; drama; activist; disability rights
- Source material / true-story basis
- Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, holding an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 68 out of 100 score on Metacritic.
- Production trivia
- The film had its world premiere as the opening film of the Toronto International Film Festival.; Principal photography took place in Toronto in mid-2025.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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