Brief
Access: Horror virtual festival spotlights disability and ableism
Founded by deaf‑blind filmmaker Ariel Baska, the online festival runs Oct. 4‑Nov. 1 and features captioned, audio‑described horror titles.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Access: Horror, a disability‑led virtual film festival, opened online on Oct. 4 and will run through Nov. 1, according to Variety. Co‑founders Ariel Baska, who identifies as deaf‑blind and mobility‑impaired, and Heather Petrocelli curated the program to center ableism as the horror rather than disability itself.
What happened
The festival presents a slate of horror and experimental films from emerging creators, organized into three programming blocks titled “Edibles,” “The Body Keeps the Score” and “Dead Darlings.” Each film is accompanied by accessibility features such as content warnings, captions and audio descriptions. The schedule also includes panels and filmmaker Q&A sessions.
What the reports add
Variety notes that Baska left a 15‑year career teaching Latin for the film industry, only to encounter physical barriers that prevented her from entering networking spaces. She said, “I found that all of these doors were closed to me because I could not literally walk in the front door.” The article lists several featured titles, including Lee Cleaveland’s “Everhand,” Charlie Gillette’s “Tal,” and Priscilla Galvez’s “A Fermenting Woman,” each described briefly by the outlet.
What was said
Baska told Variety, “That reclaiming is entirely about centering ableism as the horror rather than disability as the horror.” She added, “Every James Bond villain, every Captain Hook character … has made people afraid of difference, but if we turn that fear … into the horror, rather than the physical difference, … reframing the monster is the thing that is most essential for me and for the festival.” Petrocelli echoed the focus on horror’s honesty, with Baska noting, “Horror is the most honest genre because that is what we are living through right now.”
How it came about
Baska’s personal experience of inaccessible industry events motivated her to create a platform that both showcases disabled talent and makes horror films more reachable. The festival’s mission aligns with broader industry conversations about representation, as seen in recent Felo News coverage of inclusive film initiatives.
Key facts
- Access: Horror runs online from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1, 2026. (variety.com)
- Founders are Ariel Baska and Heather Petrocelli. (variety.com)
- The festival offers captions, audio descriptions and content warnings for each film. (variety.com)
- Featured titles include Lee Cleaveland’s “Everhand,” Charlie Gillette’s “Tal,” and Priscilla Galvez’s “A Fermenting Woman.” (variety.com)
Sources
- [1] variety.com — originally reported as “Access: Horror Virtual Film Festival Sheds Light on Disability by ‘Centering Ableism as the Horror Rather Than Disability’”
