Being Heumann - TIFF [2026]

Being Heumann [2026]

Film

Siân Heder's follow-up to her 2021 Best Picture-winning CODA is another lighthearted and funny drama focused on marginalized communities. Whereas her former film solely highlighted a deaf family with one hearing daughter, Being Heumann looks at disabled communities at large, and the fight for accessibility laws and equality in 1977 led by the resolute activist Judy Heumann (Ruth Madeley). No matter what, it's a tough hill to climb when you're making a film after your prior took home a shocking Best Picture win, but Heder isn't sacrificing what makes her such a fun filmmaker to watch. Filled with heart and humor, not unlike CODA, Being Heumann is yet another completely entertaining watch, and quite frankly, wonderfully illuminating for the fight disabled people had to go through to get federal officials to finally institute the Section 504 federal regulations they signed into effect four years prior. Although the film can find itself spread too thin across intermittent stretches, the terrific cast and heartfelt performances all feel too authentic to not be completely attached to.

Being Heumann at its core is a film about resilience in the face of unspeakable odds, physically and institutionally, which makes the comedic beats work a little harder than in Heder's CODA. The family in the prior film was so wonderfully written, as evidenced by Troy Kotsur winning Best Supporting Actor, that the jokes and jabs were as smooth as butter. Emilia Jones trying to live her life as the only hearing child in a deaf family had the heartwarming hilarity that didn't belittle, but wiggled its uplifting spirit deep into our hearts. Being Heumann, unfortunately, doesn't have that same tightly written nuclear unit that Heder can capitalize on. Instead, it works with a large group of disabled activists, led by Heumann, as they stage a historic sit-in of a San Francisco federal building to pressure the Department of Health, Education and Welfare secretary, played by a buffoonish Mark Ruffalo, to officially sign Section 504.

Most of my grievances about Being Heumann being spread too thin and facing some feelings of bloated writing are rooted in the large number of characters Heder tries to explore meaningful connections with. Of course we focus on Madeley's Heumann, but there's a concerted effort to dive deeper into far too many of the fellow activists. Supporting characters deserve appropriate depth, don't get me wrong, but the story ends up veering away from the central thesis of Heumann's work and the core conflict she causes with her stubbornness hurting the very people she's trying to help.

That being said, the casting of Heumann and her fellow activists is nothing short of extraordinary. Casting directors Adam Caldwell and Bernard Telsey have brought in an ensemble of disabled actors, all with varying experiences, from Madeline Delp, newcomer Charlie Rush-Reese, to Heder's CODA colleague Daniel Durant and many more. That's not even mentioning the casting of Ruffalo as HEW secretary Joseph Califano, a role that he relishes in his newfound interesting buffoonery such as Poor Things, Dylan O'Brien as young local reporter Evan White, and Rob Delaney as the ally Congressman Miller, all of whom add panache and a pinch of star power to Heder's primarily lesser-known cast. The inclusion of disabled actors in these roles makes for authentically lived-in performances that make the emotional moments hit that much harder, but also leave room for the comedy to work its magic. The camaraderie between the protestors is palpable, and there's a real uplifting spirit in Being Heumann that is in pure concert with these performances.

It takes a little while to get to the meat of Being Heumann, but when we finally reach the heartfelt testimonials during a congressional hearing, Heder's writing and the aforementioned performances reach new heights. Not too dissimilar in feel to the moment in CODA when Kotsur places his hand on his daughter's chest to "hear" her sing, Being Heumann spends all of its time building up to this well-orchestrated release. I wish it didn't take so long to get there, and unfortunately, I wish the finale didn't undermine these moments with a wrap-up that felt almost too rushed. The pacing is expanded and compressed in all the wrong places for me, and it left a lot to be desired in terms of leaving certain moments out and focusing on the culmination of Heumann's work, her contradictory behavior, and Califano's ultimate decision.

But, all things considered, Heder once again shows that she's a delightful director and uses her filmmaking abilities to continue to lift the voices and stories of those who may not have the reach. I didn't know much of anything about Heumann or the fight for Section 504, and Heder assumes that of the audience given the explanatory text at the beginning of the film, but it's yet another imperative story told from Heder's empathetic perspective. So it's easy to say that Being Heumann is sure to be another crowd-pleaser, as it's easy to digest and has plenty of emotional swings, comedic beats, and underdog victories to be entertaining for just about everyone.

Froth

Ok so this one may not be a Canadian beer, but its Fresh Hop season here in Seattle so I've got way too many beers to try, and luckily so many movies to review! First up, Stoup Brewing's Fresh Hop Fiend IPA, specifically their Citra based version using hops from Perrault farms. Let's just say this iteration of my favorite IPA series is stunning. I consider myself a citra hype-man, and Stoup Brewing has really got this whole brewing thing down. It's absolutely bursting with sensational citrus flavors, there are tropical undertones that lift up the heavier areas and by that I mean you can damn near chew this beer. The pillowy mouthfeel gives it a terrifically smooth texture, and although its not the most drinkable due to its heft its still a mighty fine choice. Get it while its dank, get it while its fresh, get it before I drink all of it.