I Didn’t See You There

Oakland resident and filmmaker Reid Davenport reflects on matters of visibility, family, and the freak show in his latest personal film, winner of Sundance’s Directing Award for US Documentary. Visits to his family in Connecticut prompt memories of growing up before moving west to be an artist. A circus tent erected near his apartment elicits thoughts about America’s fascination with freak shows and how his disability affects the perceptions of those around him. As he reveals his observations in voiceover, Davenport’s movements are depicted from the vantage point of his wheelchair, so the frustrations caused by people blocking sidewalks and access ramps or bus drivers issuing unachievable demands are made abundantly clear.