Patrice: The Movie

Meet Patrice Jetter, a beloved school crossing guard in her New Jersey town. She carries herself with uncommon optimism and vigour despite, as a disabled person, constantly having to navigate a world that was not built with her in mind. She has a passion for figure skating, model trains, and making art of all kinds.

She’s planning to finally get married to her partner Garry, who is a wheelchair user. They come to learn that U.S. law has an unexpected penalty: when two people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Medicaid want to get married or even move in together, their financial support is cut. Patrice and Garry fight to stay together in a system designed to keep them apart.

Filmmaker Ted Passon has known Patrice for 20 years, witnessing both her creativity and her battles against government bureaucracy. For Patrice: The Movie, he works closely with an all- star group of collaborators including disabled team members: producer Kyla Harris (We Might Regret This), executive producer and sound designer James LeBrecht (Crip Camp), composer Molly Joyce, and others.

The film is largely observational, but it does include playful theatrical sequences in which Patrice recreates memories, playing herself alongside a cast of children. She co-wrote the scenes and designed the sets. The film strikes a well-judged balance between confronting systemic failures and foregrounding joy through the energy of Patrice and her friends. It’s a vital call to action that leads with care and love.

THOM POWERS