Book adaptation of films that feature characters with disabilities

Prof. Dr. Fatoş Silman and Prof. Dr. Hasan Avcıoğlu, faculty members in the Faculty of Education of Cyprus International University, co-authored a book entitled “Movies that feature characters with disabilities.”
Silman, one of the co-authors, stated that 18 films that cover a wide range of topics such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, facial deformation, Tourette Syndrome, Dyslexia, Cerebral Palsy, hearing disability, visual disability, mental disability and intellectual giftedness were analyzed in the book. 
Reminding that individuals with special needs are exposed to prejudice, discrimination and marginalization both within the family and in society due to their differences, Silman said that these negativities experienced by such individuals with special needs portrayed in films are analyzed in the book.
Silman also stated that these negativities can take away the joy of life, commitment to life, and future goals of individuals with special needs and push them into pessimism and said that their aim with this book is to contribute to increasing awareness on these issues.
Silman talked about the reasons for choosing to work especially on films in the book, and noted that cinema, a branch of fine arts, is not only a tool for transmitting images but also a field of study that incorporates many disciplines.
Silman pointed out that films can be blended with disciplines such as literature, education, psychology, philosophy, history and science and can influence the audience with their unique narrative language.
Emphasizing that the book examines the lives of individuals with special needs who require special education, their emotional states, their relationships with their families, and their struggles with society's prejudices within a theoretical framework, Silman said that the book also offers a different experience to the readers in terms of bringing together two different disciplines such as cinema and special education.
To conclude, Silman said, "While reporting the experiences, joys, sorrows, and struggles of individuals with special needs portrayed in films in the book, we wanted to inspire people and their families with similar problems, raise awareness by informing the society, and contribute to the development of acceptance and understanding toward them by overcoming prejudices."