When We Walk

When We Walk is a poignant, intimate, and emotionally charged 2019 documentary directed and starred by Jason DaSilva. This victory of independent film offers a sophisticated and heartfelt look at the struggles of diagnosis, disability, and divorce. It's a story of bravery and resilience in the face of adversity.

Primarily set in New York City, the film follows DaSilva's life after being diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, a debilitating disease that severely affects a person's motor functions. When We Walk works to expose the realities of living with a debilitating physical condition, demonstrating that the true fight is often not against the illness itself, but the societal systems that fail to accommodate such individuals.

When We Walk is the second part of a trilogy that started with When I Walk. Expanding his focus beyond the personal, DaSilva shines a spotlight on the broader, systemic issues that people with disabilities encounter daily.

DaSilva's filmmaking style is intrinsically personal. His use of cinema as a tool to examine both his inner world and the outer societal structures that he navigates paints a vivid and moving picture. DaSilva captures the smallest moments of vulnerability and triumph, from the struggle of navigating New York City's non ADA-compliant subway system to the joy of spending time with his son.

A significant part of the film is dedicated to highlighting DaSilva's relationship with his son Jase. Despite their physical distance, as both the child's mother and Jase relocate to Austin, the paternal bond remains unscathed. DaSilva's exploration of fatherhood and disability works as a vehicle to showcase his never-ending struggle for mobility and independence. It displays the emotional and physical journey of a father yearning to be closer to his child, in doing so, raising serious questions about the adequacy of healthcare provisions and public transport systems for the disabled in the US.

At the heart of When We Walk is a commentary on the systemic failures regarding public disability support and the healthcare system. DaSilva reveals the realities and shortcomings of the U.S. health care system and its impact on the people who need it the most. His struggles to access proper medical care and maintain a close relationship with his son despite the miles between them, while battling with a love lost, offer a rare insight into the real impact of bureaucratic apathy towards the disabled.

When We Walk also presents DaSilva's advocacy for the disabled community. His creation of AXS Map, a crowd-sourced Google Map for wheelchair-accessible locations, underscores DaSilva's unyielding spirit to support others in similar situations despite his own struggles.

The documentary weaves DaSilva's unique personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs with wider issues of social injustice, healthcare, advocacy, and the inequalities experienced by disabled persons everywhere. It challenges viewers not only to empathize but also to understand better the difficulties that people with disabilities face every day while maneuvering through systems not built for them.

Each moment of When We Walk is laden with raw, unfiltered emotion. DaSilva lays bare his personal life and the struggles that come with navigating the world in a condition where even a mere physical movement can be an inconceivable challenge. This moving film also shatters preconceived notions about disability and disease and showcases the indomitable human spirit.

At once an investigation of a medical mystery, a romantic drama, a legal battle, and a study of bureaucratic incompetence and indifference, DaSilva’s documentary is a declaration of resilience and empowerment, a testament to the human capacity to adapt, improvise, and continue to find meaning and joy in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

DaSilva narrates his tale with a filmmaker's eye and a human heart, managing to make When We Walk a powerful, genuinely affecting film. This documentary is a powerful piece of filmmaking that skillfully merges the personal with the political, crafting a poignant plea for compassion, understanding, and change.

When We Walk is more than a film. It is an experience, an intimate journey into a world seldom seen by those untouched by disabilities. It is an invitation to consider the world from a new perspective, and perhaps a challenge: to take up the struggle in whatever ways we can, to truly create a society that accommodates everyone. The film is a profound statement on the human condition and a tribute to the resilience and determination of the human spirit.