Press Release

The film Resilience Revealed: Ann Arbor's Disability Legacy, of Zach Damon Productions, has won a prestigious Award of Merit from The Accolade Global Film Competition. The award was given for Zach Damon's exciting documentary, Resilience Revealed, which highlights the role Ann Arbor has played in the world of accessibility and disability activism. Resilience Revealed features interviews with Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, Ann Arbor City Councilmember Ayesha Ghazi Edwin, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, Disability Network executive director Alex Gossage, and other advocates.

“Ann Arbor has long been a beacon for disability rights,” says Damon. “This film aims to honor that legacy.”

He adds, “I’m deeply grateful to the Ann Arbor District Library for believing in this vision. I also want to thank every individual who was part of the film, and my incredible crew, none of this would’ve been possible without their hard work, heart, and dedication.”

The Accolade recognizes film, television, videography, and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Information about the Accolade and a list of recent winners can be found at accoladecompetition.org.

In winning an Accolade, Zach Damon Productions joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award including the Oscar winning production of The Lady in Number Six by Malcolm Clarke, the very talented Dave Bossert of Disney for his short documentary, The Tunes Behind The Toons, Hollywood industry veteran Ron Howard for When You Find Me and Highwire Films Australia for their popular ABC TV series twentysomething.

Rick Prickett, who chairs The Accolade Global Film Competition, had this to say about the latest winners, “The Accolade is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world, from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. The Accolade helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries. The goal of The Accolade is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”

Related:
➥ Watch the film here.
➥ "Fight for Your Rights: Zach Damon's film 'Resilience Revealed" covers the history of Ann Arbor's disability rights movement" [Pulp, July 22, 2025]
➥ "Talk, Talk, Talk: Zach Damon's 'Ann Arbor Tonight' puts a local spin on the late-night TV chat format" [January 25, 2022]