Sian Heder Used Her “Moment of Power” After Winning an Oscar to Get ‘Being Heumann’ Made
After CODA won best picture and adapted screenplay at the Oscars, Sian Heder used the influence she had gained to get Being Heumann made. The film tells the story of disability rights activist Judy Heumann and centres disabled performers, giving the project visibility while continuing the movement Heumann helped lead.
Ruth Madeley plays Heumann, who led a 28-day occupation of San Francisco’s Federal Building in 1977 to demand accessibility laws and equal rights. Heder said the project was difficult to secure because it called for 12 disabled leads, many unknown actors, a period setting and an accessibility team; some cast members are acting for the first time. Heumann died in 2023, and the film is due in selected cinemas on 6 November and on Apple TV on 13 November.
In short
- Sian Heder used her post-CODA influence to make Being Heumann.
- Ruth Madeley portrays disability rights activist Judy Heumann.
- The film reaches cinemas on 6 November and Apple TV on 13 November.
Explained simply
Judy Heumann was a leading disability rights activist in the United States. In 1977, she helped lead a 28-day occupation of a federal building in San Francisco, pressing the government to enforce rules on access and equal rights for disabled people.
The protest was part of a wider movement to challenge barriers in public life and secure legal protections. Heumann died in 2023, and her work has since been the subject of books and films.
Sian Heder is a filmmaker whose film CODA won the best picture and adapted screenplay Oscars. Her next project, Being Heumann, tells Heumann’s story with Ruth Madeley in the lead role and a cast that includes disabled performers.