Dir. Lucy Bell & Naomi Turner
2024 | 40 mins | UK | English

Step into a history few have heard – and even fewer have told.

UNREACHABLE is a bold, imaginative documentary from Documental Productions, featuring The Pelican Project, and led by learning-disabled artists reclaiming their heritage with power and playfulness.

The film traces the journey of Documental creating a brand-new inclusive musical – also titled Unreachable – inspired by the extraordinary inspection reports of Dr Mary Sheridan, who exposed the realities of long-stay hospitals for children and adults with learning disabilities. With a mixed cast of learning-disabled and non-disabled performers and the use of Makaton signing, this musical in-development brings the past into the present in deeply moving and accessible ways.

To move the musical forward, the creative team at Documental embedded themselves in sessions at The Pelican Project, with all participants involved becoming aware of the very different perspectives on past treatment of people with learning disabilities, even the ways people identify with their differences. The work in the sessions were a response to Documental’s invitation to share what feels important to them in their daily lives today, using a variety of communication styles, and creatively exploring the history of the long stay hospitals in a sensitively held process.

Through drama, art, music, behind-the-scenes moments, and rarely seen archival material, the documentary invites audiences into a process of collective remembrance and radical creativity. Narrated by a Pelican Project participant and shaped by the voices of learning-disabled people, UNREACHABLE is both a historical reckoning and a joyful act of resistance.

Content Note: Contains references to institutionalisation, outdated & problematic medical language, and potentially upsetting historical practices. The film is made with and for the Learning Disability community as well as for a mainstream cinema-going audience, but some preparation regarding the content is advised. The film’s producers will be on-hand to answer any questions after the screening.