Our short film, ‘Lov-Able,’ heads to Australian disability-led film festival

On July 3, I received some deeply personal news: “Lov-Able,” a short film starring my girlfriend, Amanda, and me, was selected for inclusion in AN/OTHER Film Festival in Fremantle, Australia. This disability-led event is presented by DADAA, an Australian arts organization that promotes access to culture for persons with disabilities and mental illness.

“Lov-Able” was produced, directed, and written by our close friend Reena Deen, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder and dyslexia. It was shot last year with three team members she met through Kino Red Dot, a Singaporean collective of independent filmmakers.

The film is rooted in my personal experience with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Amanda’s journey as a vision-impaired person. DMD is a genetic disease that progressively weakens the muscles, including those used in breathing and heart function. Amanda, who has retinal degeneration, and I play a married couple. Together, we offer a rare portrait of two disabled lovers pursuing desire, creative agency, and shared futures, demonstrating that people like us are lovable.

For me, “Lov-Able” is much more than a film, because it reflects my life with DMD. Amanda and I aren’t married in real life, yet the relationship on screen captures the future we hope to build together: a home of our own, meaningful work, and a partnership built on equity, rather than dependence.

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Living independently with DMD remains extraordinarily difficult for me here in Singapore. While disability services provide essential support, and government agencies are piloting independent living for those with lower support needs, adults with high support needs, like many of us with DMD, still have very limited opportunities to establish homes with our partners outside the family.

The short film “Lov-Able” follows a married couple whose relationship is built on love, trust, and interdependence as they navigate disability together. (Courtesy of Reena Deen)

That reality runs through every scene of “Lov-Able.” The romance is genuine, but so are the barriers standing between our dreams and everyday life.

Living with DMD often means people expect our stories to revolve around homes, hospitals, wheelchairs, and survival. Those experiences are real, but they aren’t the full story.

Acting in “Lov-Able” was my way of claiming space for love, creativity, disagreement, and hope. The film challenges another barrier many DMD survivors face in the form of internalized ableism: the belief by disabled people that society’s negative messaging about disability is inherently true and we are somehow less worthy of love or belonging because of it.

My physical strength will keep diminishing each day due to DMD. But my hopes don’t have to disappear. While I can’t promise Amanda that we’ll one day achieve our on-screen future, I can choose to keep working toward it.

Every column I write, every conversation I have, and every film I’m featured in is another step toward a world where adults with DMD are seen not only as patients, but also as partners and people capable and worthy of building full lives.

Note: Muscular Dystrophy News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Muscular Dystrophy News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to muscular dystrophy.