Shoelaces: a film about a father and his special-need son
“Shoelaces” tells the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father and his special-needs son, whom he abandoned while he was still a young boy. Reuben’s (60) kidneys are failing and his son Gadi (35), wants to donate one of his own kidneys to help save his father’s life.
However, the transplant committee objects to the procedure, claiming that Rueben, acting as Gadi’s sole legal guardian, does not have the right to authorize such an invasive procedure. Gadi, who recently lost his mother, is afraid of losing his father as well. He feels he finally has the chance to do something meaningful; to become a man and stand on his own. He’s furious with the committee’s decision and sets out to fight for his right to save his father’s life.
Through the film’s portrayal of a relationship full of love, rejection and co-dependency, it manages to shed some light and question the importance of human life, human connection and if life is even possible without it either one of them.
I was at the Cricket in Sydney with my friend, a former disability support worker, and we sat behind a wheel-chair bound individual with a great view of the game.
They were interacting with their family and friends sitting in front and enjoying the atmosphere and game. I told my mate, isn’t it great that they can enjoy the game just like everyone else and he commented that 20 years ago, this wouldn’t be possible. He continued to say that the new stadium, next door to the SCG, controversially built when existing infrastructure was perfectly OK and could be updated, was not marketed well by the State government because it did not support people with disabilities.
The new stadium is state-of-the-art and caters to all. That followed a call the day before I fielded from a University Professor asking about Israeli technology for neurodivergent people because there is an Israeli film screening next week, and they want to see what technology is out there from Israel for Australians to use.
Please email [email protected] by Monday to see if there are still spots available for the screening: Tuesday, 15.11.22 @ 17:30, Sydney location tobe advised.
Jeremy Ungar works for The Israel Trade Commission in Sydney, which operates under the Foreign Trade Administration, Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry. He is assisting startups and companies enter and expand in the Australasian market through raising capital, executing strategic projects, international delegations, targeted relationship building, strategic events and technology scouting.
