Being Heumann' Biopic Set for November Release on Apple TV

The biographical drama film Being Heumann , directed by Siân Heder and adapted from the late disability rights activist Judith Heumann's 2020 memoir, is scheduled to open in select theaters on November 6 before beginning to stream on Apple TV on November 13, according to Apple Original Films. The project stars Ruth Madeley as Heumann, alongside an ensemble cast that features Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O'Brien. The film features English actress Ruth Madeley in the lead role portraying Judith Heumann. The cast also includes Mark Ruffalo as Joseph A. Califano Jr., who served as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services during the events depicted in the film. The production also features performances by Will Brill, Madeline Delp, Michael Patrick Thornton, Antwan Toliver, Ray Fisher, Rob Delaney, Rein Barcel, and Dylan O'Brien. Director Siân Heder directs the film and co-wrote the screenplay alongside Rebekah Taussig. Heder previously directed the 2021 film CODA , which won Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars, where Heder also won Best Adapted Screenplay. Historical Context of the 1977 San Francisco Protest Being Heumann chronicles Heumann's life after she contracted polio at 18 months old in Brooklyn, New York, and subsequently became the first wheelchair user to work as a teacher in New York. The narrative centers on her central role in a 26-day protest in San Francisco in 1977. During this demonstration, hundreds of individuals participated in a sit-in at a federal building to protest the federal government's failure to pass Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 stands as a landmark provision stating that no program receiving federal funding can discriminate against a person with a disability, according to Heumann's official website. The official synopsis released by Apple Studios emphasizes the scale of the demonstration, describing it as the longest occupation of a federal building in American history as participants seized government offices until officials took action. Judith Heumann's Lifelong Advocacy and Government Service Following the 1977 protests, Heumann maintained a prominent career in public service and advocacy until her death at age 75 on March 4, 2023. She served during the Bill Clinton administration as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services within the Department of Education. Subsequently, President Barack Obama named her the inaugural Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the U.S. State Department in 2010, maintaining the role until 2017. Photo: yahoo.com Being Heumann | Official Teaser Trailer 🔥November 13🔥Dylan O'Brien | Mark Ruffalo | APPLE TV