About The Film
A Film by Olivier Bernier
SYNOPSIS: As 3-year-old Emilio prepares to start school, his family finds itself embroiled in a challenge all too common for children with disabilities – to secure the right to an inclusive education. Cornered in one of the most segregated education systems, New York City public schools, filmmaker Olivier and his wife Hilda turn the camera on themselves and their child with Down syndrome, as they navigate a byzantine system originally designed to silo children with disabilities.
Emilio’s parents learn from other families who have fought against the injustices built into the educational system while they continue their own battle for their son’s future.
Forget Me Not reveals a path to a more inclusive society that starts with welcoming diversity in the classroom.
“Inclusion early on almost guarantees inclusion later on. But segregation early on almost guarantees segregation in the rest of life.” -Sara Jo Soldovieri
In “Forget Me Not”, parents and filmmakers Olivier and Hilda Bernier share the personal impact of NYC’s segregated education system as they fight for their son’s Emilio’s right to be educated alongside his peers.
What is inclusive education?
Inclusive education is a model that embraces the human and legal right for children with disabilities to learn beside their non-disabled peers, creating opportunities for people with disabilities to engage in society.
About the film
Forget Me Not intimately documents a family’s fight to have their son with Down syndrome included in the country’s most segregated school system, the New York City public school system. Propelled forward by others’ struggles and successes, Forget Me Not offers a rare look at what a truly inclusive education can look like and how it can lead to a more inclusive society so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Director’s statement
Films can put a dent in the world. It was a short film in 1972 that led to the eventual closure of most of America’s institutions for people with disabilities. With Forget Me Not, I would like to continue that progress by amplifying the voices of the least heard segment of our population, people with intellectual disabilities. This film aims to break down the social and systemic barriers that routinely segregate and hide them from society.
When my son, Emilio, was born with Down syndrome, I was utterly unprepared. I had never had the opportunity to meet anyone with an intellectual disability growing up. I kept asking myself how this could be. It soon became apparent that they had been hidden from me, so I began to explore what the alternative could be – a world where all children can learn with each other and from each other in the same classroom.
I set out to make Forget Me Not as a starting point for the parents of typically developing children, educators, and policymakers who may be learning about the concept of inclusive education for the first time. It was important that the film felt accessible, engaging, and relatable to anyone watching. In sharing some of my family’s most intimate moments, I hope that the film will create awareness, inspire conversation, and eventually help build a more inclusive society.
We want to shine a light on these issues by making a film that connects with a wide audience, beyond the disability community, including those who feel marginalized or discarded for various reasons.
Director’s bio
Award winning Director, Olivier Bernier lives and breathes to tell stories that explore the human condition. Part American, part Quebecois, Olivier is also the Co-Founder and Creative Director of the production company, Rota6 Films, specializing in documentary and commercial films.
Olivier has had the honor of having many of his films regularly screened at many festivals including winning the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance, opening night at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Montreal World Film Festival, DOCNYC, Big Sky, Bend Film Festival, Rooftop film series, Houston Worldfest, Walla Walla, and has had received Vimeo Staff Picks as well as been picked up for distribution by outlets such as The New Yorker, Uninterrupted, and Nowness amongst others. Along with his commercial work, Olivier continues to develop, produce and direct original content that aims to put a hyper focus on topics that can change the way we look at the world.
