ABC News Studios, in partnership with All Ages Productions and in association with ESS Projects and Cedar Road, today announced Patrice: The Movie, a feature-length documentary from Peabody and Gotham Award-winning director Ted Passon (director, critically acclaimed docuseries Philly D.A.) and producers Kyla Harris (We Might Regret This), Innbo Shim (Amend), and Emily Spivack (Worn Stories).
The documentary will premiere on Monday, Sept. 30, on Hulu, following its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
Patrice: The Movie is a documentary romantic comedy about the next frontier of marriage equality — disability. Patrice Jetter has finally found the love of her life, Garry Wickham, who is also disabled.
They want nothing more than to get married, but if they do — or even if they just move in together — the government benefits they need to survive would be cut. Despite the scrutiny they’re under, they decide to plan a commitment ceremony that could risk their entire future.
The film interweaves vérité with recreated scenes from Patrice’s past. We see the struggles Patrice endured to get the house, the job, and the life that she’s now fighting to keep. Patrice designed the sets for the recreations — which include her art — co-wrote the scripts and stars a cast of children with Patrice as the only adult, portraying herself at every age.
“Everyone wants to find love. It’s not an easy thing in this world. If you are lucky enough to find the person you want to be with, but if you’re disabled and collect Social Security or Medicaid benefits, you have to choose between being with your partner and your own survival. Not only can’t you get married, but you can’t even live with your partner. And so the fight for true marriage equality in this country is not over,” said Passon.
“We’re so grateful that Patrice trusted us to share her story with the world. As a disabled person navigating this system, Patrice’s story is unfortunately very common. We’re telling a very ordinary story but through the lens of a person who is, herself, completely extraordinary. She is a true Renaissance woman. We can’t wait for the world to meet Patrice.”
Patrice: The Movie is produced by All Ages Productions in association with ESS Projects and Cedar Road for ABC News Studios. Ted Passon is the director.
The documentary is produced by Kyla Harris, Innbo Shim, and Emily Spivack. The executive producers include Jim LeBrecht (Crip Camp), Jennifer J. Pritzker, Chandra Jessee, Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Poh Si Teng, and Peter Kenney.
Claire Weinraub is executive producer, and David Sloan is senior executive producer for ABC News Studios. Mike Kelley leads ABC News Studios. Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.