“Access: Horror Virtual Film Festival Centers Ableism as the True Terror, Featuring Deaf-Bl” — what this page in the network covers. The Access: Horror Virtual Film Festival is challenging genre conventions by placing ableism—not disability—at the heart of its scares. Curated by Ariel Baska, a former Latin teacher who transitioned to filmmaking and identifies as deaf-blind, the festival emerged from their firsthand encounters with industry barriers.
Baska told Variety that after leaving teaching, they discovered many doors were closed because they 'could not literally walk in the front door.' This experience fuels a program that reframes horror through the lens of accessibility, proving that systemic exclusion can be more frightening than any monster. By centering ableism as the true horror, the festival offers a fresh perspective for both disability advocates and genre fans, highlighting how physical and social obstacles create real-world terror. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.