"A Stroke Of Endurance" review/Synopsis archive

This is an archived post from September 2017 from when we were still in the editing process with "A Stroke Of Endurance" but we did not post the review to our official website until after "A Stroke Of Endurance" was uploaded to youtube. To avoid major spoilers please watch "A Stroke Of Endurance"  online for free before reading this post!

Russian embedded dolls where layers of representation keep appearing-that is what resonates in this complex and provocative film "A Stroke Of Endurance" written and directed by Margot Cole, which provides a window into the disability experience and the thoughts and attitudes of ableism. Margot Cole reveals herself to be a multi faceted artist (observing of life, writer, actor, and director). 

In this her latest production released on Youtube, a group of college students, some with disabilities, some without-learn their professor has suffered a devastating stroke, leaving them temporarily unmoored. 

Ms. Cole also acts in the film as the central character Ava, in a flashback scene of her encounter with a college counselor who is clueless about her. Feeling offended by the counselor's rude and condensing attitude and the counselor's insistence that because Ava is physically disabled, she should major in disability studies, Ava indignantly departs the counselling session. 

We next view Ava lamenting over Professor Ben's stroke. She believes it was possibly a result of her silently cursing him, and wishing him dead, because of her dismay over the high cost of a textbook, that Professor Ben had explained, was for required reading. Following the professor's return to the classroom, his students observe him struggling with a difficult recovery. Classmate Alice suggests that Ava might help Professor Ben manage the disabling effects of his stroke by sharing her experience of living with a disability. Alice explains that it "doesn't overcome your life" and in fact one "can actually thrive in spite of a handicap". Ms. Cole imbues her theatre of life with karmic restitution as Professor Ben gratefully accepts Ava's help. Their disabilities inform their relationship showing how endurance and coping with challenges, foster strength. 

Ms. Cole presents to her viewers, through a lens of subjective experiences, the broad spectrum of abilities and disabilities both in herself and in others. Her graceful beauty enhances the dynamic and powerful insights in this film. - Geraldine Pauling (disabled psychologist) NYC 9/09/17

"A Stroke Of Endurance" screening premiere and review archive

These are achieved posts from Fall 2017. Older posts on the bottom.

December 5th 2017: 

“A Stroke of Endurance” screening premiere!

This post may contain spoilers for “A Stroke Of Endurance”. Please see our previous post to watch the film first!

Today(December 5th) was the public premiere screening of our newest film “A Stroke Of Endurance” at KCC. (This screening is why the film had to be released early with the captioned version to come later)  There was a pre screening pizza party and performance about disability. Then we moved into a room with a projector and watched the film. I (Margot) introduced the film as I usually do at Crip Video Productions screenings. I mentioned how the film was shot at KCC. It was nice to see the audience reactions. At the end of the screening we had a special Q&A panel with most of the cast of the film, like most of the student characters and the actor who plays Professor Ben. I was glad that the cast got to share what they liked and remembered about our shooting and production process. 

One of the cast members Tim Snoha, who plays Professor Ben mentioned how I found him through Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts which has listings of disabled actors. One audience member asked how I thought of the story of the film. I told them that I had really known a professor who had a stroke but that a lot of other elements were fictionalized to give the characters better character arcs. One person asked how long it took to write the film. I told them most of the events which inspired the story occurred in November 2015,I started writing in early 2016, and the script was ready for shooting in February 2017. One audience member asked who did and didn’t have acting experience. One person asked if we thought connections between students and professors are important. 

One person asked about the dizzy spell scene and one cast member mentioned his experience as an EMT. I told them I based aspects of that dizzy spell scene on what another woman with a stroke described about her stroke and that getting on the floor like in the scene seems to be the general recommendation for vertigo. I told them I had heard from a fan who had a stroke who said the film helped her a lot and that she felt the symptoms were accurate. The cast said they enjoyed being part of the project and may want to be part of new projects which thrills me. 

All in all the audience seemed to love the film and were very engaged so we can’t wait to do this again! Special thanks to Kingsborough Community College and Students Unlimited club for letting us screen the film! Special thanks to the cast and crew! We have permission from KCC to write this blog post!

November 28 2017: 

https://twitter.com/LarkTheatre/status/935582012236279809

“A Stroke of Endurance” just got press via the official “The Lark Theater” twitter!

Special thanks to “The Lark Theater”! 

November 24 2017:

http://geopoliticallyincorrect.blogspot.com/2017/11/autistichistorymonth-astrokeofendurance.html 

The brand new Crip Video Productions film “A Stroke Of Endurance” just got a wonderful review! Special thanks to the writer of this review at “Halfway Up Rysy Peak. GeoPoliticallyCorrect” for his tireless support of our work. It is an honor to get such a great review! We thank him for for taking the time to write an entire blog on the film! 

By the way, the open captioned version of “A Stroke Of Endurance” will be uploaded right before Christmas(I’m creating it now). And an audio described version will be uploaded in 2018. Sorry for the delay. We had to upload the versions separately to speed production up.

For everybody reading this: You can now view a “A Stroke Of Endurance” via our official site here http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php (accessible versions will be added to the same page!) 

A Stroke Of Endurance

"A Stroke of Endurance" audio described version (audio described versions are only available as links, not embeds): https://youdescribe.org/video/KIZProYn7R4?ad=5b730bb0e6cc7f461fb09d43

A Stroke Of Endurance" Open Captioned version http://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.com/post/168590664831/via-httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv-xnthe1xbybs 

"A Stroke Of Endurance" a film by Margot Cole, the writer and director of "Drama Sighted", "Only Those Who Limp Allowed" and "Crips Not Creeps"

Synopsis: Crip Video Productions presents a story of friendship, faith and endurance... A college student with Cerebral Palsy named Ava, and her classmates must deal with the physical and emotional ramifications when their professor has a stroke that leaves him disabled in the middle of the semester when they least expect it.

Starring (in order of appearance)

Margot Cole as Ava
Jorgiana Cole as Ava’s Mom
Syndia Batise as Disabled Student 1
Emma Lemanski as Disabled Student 2
Betty Lewin as Professor 1
David Salsbery Fry as Professor 2
Jill Marrello as Academic Advisor
Tim Snoha as Professor Ben
Mark Pauling as Student 1
Pedrin Villaman as Student 2
Johnny Diodato as Student 3
Krysta Williams as Student 4
Ashley Villanueva as Student 5
Izabela Ginda as Bella
Ketrina Hazell as Alice

Written and Directed by Margot Cole
Story editing by Jorgiana Cole
Casting by Margot Cole
Cinematography by Jorgiana Cole. Additional Cinematography by Tim Snoha, Johnny Diodato, Krysta Williams

Music composed by Walei Sabry

Special thanks to
Kingsborough Community College
Lori Zucker
JoJo Tarnoff 

Super special thanks to Jorgiana Cole 

©2017 Margot Cole  

Please note: The disabled characters in this film are all portrayed by actors who have disabilities in real life. The use of the word "Crip" in "Crip Video Productions" is not meant as an offense to anyone associated with these films or otherwise. We have full permission to use the locations seen in the film. Crip Video Productions' mission is to increase understanding of disability through storytelling. This film has cursing and some intense scenes and may not be suitable for children under 13.

"A Stroke Of Endurance" is the sole property of Margot Cole/Crip Video Productions.