Peter Farrelly "DARUMA" Name one indie movie you’ve seen lately. Would you be able to name an actor in an indie movie? What exactly is an indie movie and why do we care? Great question, I’m glad you asked. An indie, or independent film, is thought of as a film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies. And there are a lot of them made each year. If the Sundance film festival is snapshot of the top independent films released each year, then the 4,000+ submissions they receive is just the tip of the iceberg. Just because they are called indies, does not mean they have no budget or are poorly made. Sure movie-making budgets span a large curve starting with low-budget around $200,000 to big-budget studio films over $100 million. Most independent films cost about the same as major studio films. It is all the other things that go into this collaborative art form that make a film an independent film. From the writer to producers/directors to actors, most of the people are relatively unknown. It’s no secret that ABILITY Magazine has an interest in actors, writers, and film makers with disabilities. There are 30 plus years of stories in which we’ve spoken to many well-known people in the industry. We have been frustrated by the lack of actors with authentic disabilities in roles on TV & film, demonstrated by our ongoing support of abilityE. We recently spoke with crew and cast of the yet-to-be-shot indie film, Daruma. You read that right; it hasn’t been filmed yet. This film has all the hallmarks of an independent film; little known (for now) writer, actors, and an up-and-coming director. It is not being done by a major studio, but there is something this production is doing that sets it apart from all the others, they are casting people with authentic disabilities and hiring crew people with disabilities. Daruma is about two unlikely friends: a paraplegic and a double amputee. Tobias (Toby) Forrest and John Lawson star in this film directed by Alexander Yellen. In this story, the two main characters must work together, even though they don’t like each other, to transport the four-year-old daughter one man didn’t know he had, to her grandparents across the country. In this expose, which spans two issues, we’ll delve into each of their journeys which, when layered on to this project, bring true richness of life experience to Daruma.