A new documentary is shining a light on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities who are employed at a protective workshop in Fish Hoek.

Normal to Me, created by Mandala Films in collaboration with the National Film and Video Foundation, delves into the stories of workers at the Joyce Chevalier Centre.

The centre has a daycare programme for adults with high support needs and a protective workshop for adults with lower support needs.

Film-maker Luke Sharland drew inspiration for the documentary from his sister, Jessie, who works at the centre.

“My parents encouraged my sister to check out the centre when we moved to Fish Hoek in 2020. They hoped she would find a supportive environment there," Mr Sharland said.

“As soon as my sister stepped into the centre, she felt at ease. She found her community there. Seeing the positive change in her, I became curious about the centre and its people. One day, when I went to pick her up from work, I met her colleagues and was struck by their kindness and uniqueness. That's when I had the idea to make the film.”

He approached Catherine Pitt, the centre’s manager, and asked if he could use the centre as a base for a movie about his sister. Eventually, the project evolved to feature five lead characters, each with their own story.

The documentary, which took about a year and a half to produce, explores their daily lives, shedding light on the diverse talents and perspectives that make each person extraordinary.

"Normal To Me aims to challenge societal perceptions and promote inclusivity. It shows that we are all human at the end of the day. Just because people have a disability doesn’t mean they are second-class citizens,“ said Mr Sharland.

Telling stories from the perspective of people with disabilities helped to break down barriers, said Ms Pitt.

“The idea of telling the stories from the perspective of the person with disability is a strong part of the work at JCC as we strive to hear everyone’s different goals and aspirations.Through community inclusion, we hope that people may see the similarities in their hopes, dreams and obstacles,” she said.

“I think the movie will speak to watchers differently. However, I hope that there will be more tolerance, kindness, and inclusion of persons with intellectual disability. To me, the parents come through humbly but strongly as advocates and facilitators for their children with intellectual disability. They are real unacknowledged heroes.”

Normal to Me received funding from the presidential employment stimulus programme in collaboration with the National Film and Video Foundation.

Mr Sharland said the film had been submitted to various film festivals, both local and international, and hoped to attend the Durban International Festival.

Joyce Chevalier Centre manager Catherine Pitt and some of the people who work at the centre visited Fish Hoek High School on Thursday when a film about the centre was screened at the school.

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