Celebrating 10 years this year, the Focus on Ability (FOA) Awards is designed to encourage filmmakers to focus on the ability of people with disability.

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This year’s FOA competition hit a record number of 297 entries, including 131 school entries and 63 international films.

Following successful screenings last year in New Zealand, New York and Zimbabwe, this year the competition received entries from a record number of countries, 26, including Pakistan, Iran, Tunisia and Hong Kong.

Eight O’Connor students who either have a disability themselves, or have a close family member with one, participated in the planning and filming of the documentary.

Watch No Ordinary Hero:

They wanted to tell others about the daily struggles of living with a disability, and in particular wanted to focus on their ability qualities. In the meetings, the students came up with the idea of superheroes who persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles, which is the theme of their short film No Ordinary Hero.

The students hope that the documentary will encourage people to be more empathetic and understanding, not only of them but of all people who live with a disability.