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When Billy Broke His Head

When Billy Broke His Head ...and Other Tales of Wonder is an entertaining, irreverent road movie about disability, civil rights, and the search for intelligent life after brain damage.

Following a traffic-accident, journalist Billy Golfus woke from a coma to find himself head-injured, hemiplegic and dependent on others. When Billy Broke His Head… tells of Golfus’ struggle to make a new life for himself in the face of pervasive discrimination and bureaucratic “helping systems.” Accompanied by filmmaker David E. Simpson, Golfus travels the country encountering disabled people of all stripes, and witnessing the strength and anger that has forged a civil rights movement for disabled Americans. Laced with humor and biting wit, When Billy Broke His Head… is a widely acclaimed, groundbreaking film about disability culture; a no holds barred, first-person account that refuses to tell the “inspirational” stories we have come to expect from films about people with disabilities.

Filmmakers

Cinematography

David E. Simpson
Slawomir Grunberg

Sound Re-recording Mixer

Tom Blakemore

Sound Editor

Bryen Hensley

Media

Awards and Distinctions

Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for Excellence in Broadcast Television

Winner

Silver Baton

1996

News and Documentary Emmy Awards

Nominee

Best Individual Contribution-Writing

1996

Para Olympic Disability Film Festival

Winner

Best of Show

1996

Leipzig International Documentary and Animation Festival

Winner

Egon-Erwin Kisch for Best Journalistic Contribution

1995

Sundance Film Festival

Winner

Playboy Freedom of Expression Award

1995

Atlanta Film and Documentary Festival

Winner

Best Documentary

Black Maria Film and Video Festival

Winner

Juror's Choice Award

Chicago International Film Festival

Winner

Silver Hugo for Social Political Documentaries

International Documentary Association

Winner

Silver Certificate

Leipzig International Documentary and Animation Festival

Winner

Special Prize of the City of Leipzig

National Education Media Competition

Winner

First Place