Digby & Camille

The tone of Digby & Camille is tender and inspirational. We wish to leave audiences contemplating two questions; ‘Are we all equal when it comes to love?’ And, ‘Can love conquer all when you are living with a disability?’
At a time when people born with Down syndrome are living longer and enjoy a better quality of life with more freedom and agency than ever before, our doco explores complex issues around interpersonal relationships, love, intimacy, and family from a first-person perspective.
There is often a daily discussion in News/Caf about disability rights along with the NDIS. This story offers a unique insight into how people living with Down syndrome, and their families, balance universal human rights, dreams and desires with what’s required to sustain emotional and physical well-being – contributing to the ‘national discussion’ in a positive fashion. Digby & Camille appeals to audiences interested in social inclusion, disability & human rights, arts and documentary as cinema.

Our Impact Vision Statement for ‘Digby and Camille’ is to inspire empathy, inclusion, and a broad redefined understanding of love and ability. Through the couple’s story, we challenge stereotypes, foster acceptance, and aim to empower individuals with Down syndrome to pursue their dreams. By promoting dialogue, advocacy, and creative & culinary expression, we envision a more inclusive society where everyone is celebrated for their individual talents, abilities and contributions.

We aim to inspire individuals, family members, community organisations to engage and act within their own families and communities prompted by the personal themes that our doco unfurls. We also wish to create an excellent example of ‘disability representation’ on screen and off screen with Digby’s work as co-director. With the release of the documentary there is enormous potential for generating publicity around the issues of disability rights and representation.

As with Trevor Graham’s recent food related films, Make Hummus Not War, Monsieur Mayonnaise and Chef Antonio’s Recipes for Revolution, we (Digby & Trevor) will direct a tight story, quirky in style, humorous and poignant. It will be visually surprising based on Digby Webster’s art work, with moments of animation to highlight appropriate personal stories.

Filming over the course of 2023, 2024 and early 2025, Trevor Graham intends to follow Digby and Camille as they live, work and paint, together and apart, in the kitchen and the studio. This will form the narrative backbone of the film. To ensure we reach the broadest audience within the disability community we have budgeted for different Accessibility Final Masters of the finished documentary for online viewing including; Auslan, Enhanced Contrast, Easy English and Closed Captions. We wish to make Digby & Camille an inclusive viewing experience for all.

In 2021 Trevor Graham directed and Lisa Wang produced, Chef Antonio’s Recipes for Revolution, for the MIFF Premiere Fund. The feature documentary had a theatrical release in all capital cities and in many areas of regional Australia. Whilst the documentary’s release was impacted by the pandemic, we were still able to successfully launch it with the assistance of many organisations within the intellectual disability sector, particularly Down Syndrome Australia and its state branches, along with the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations. These organisations conducted their own screenings alongside of our theatrical release. Our Story Consultant, Tracey Lee Arestides is the former national manger at Australian Federation of Disability Organisations for Policy, Sustainability, Initiatives and Projects. We believe these same organisations will garner their support for our new project and even more so as it is co-directed by Digby Webster & utilises his art.

– Word of Mouth: Share the film’s story far and wide. Use Digby’s & Camille’s voice to raise awareness about the challenges and triumphs of individuals living with Down syndrome. Use their story to inspire conversations about love, inclusion and family.
– Support Inclusivity: Advocate for equal rights and opportunities for individuals living with intellectual and other disabilities. Be aware of discrimination and promote a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive.
– Promote Creativity: Celebrate and support the art and work of individuals living with Down syndrome. Explore their talents, attend their exhibitions, and amplify their voices in the community.
– Reflect and Connect: Take a moment to reflect on your perceptions and attitudes towards disability, romance and relationships. Challenge stereotypes and aim to foster empathy and understanding in your interactions with others
– Embrace the message of Digby and Camille, and let their story ignite positive social change