The Pitt, Take Me Home Win Inaugural DARCYS Disability Awards — SkimNews
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- The DARCYS held its inaugural ceremony Saturday at The Historic Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, rebranding the Media Access Awards — a recognition lineage dating back to 1979 — to honor authentic disability representation across film, television, and media.
- "The Pitt" won two awards: Best Scripted Series and Best Achievement in Casting Ensemble, with creator R. Scott Gemmill and casting directors Erica Berger and Cathy Sandrich Gelfond among those honored.
- "Horsegirls" won Best Feature, "The Haunting of Pennhurst" won Best Documentary, "Renegades" won Best Unscripted Series, and Anna Sargent won Best Performance in a Feature for "Bugonia."
- Comedian Tina Frim hosted the ceremony, while Geri Jewell received the inaugural DARCYS Legacy Award and Vincent Rutley received the Christopher Reeve Emerging Talent Award, which includes a $5,000 cash grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
- Easterseals Southern California and Film Independent co-produced the event, with winners selected by committees composed of filmmakers, critics, past honorees, and guild/nonprofit representatives — a majority of whom are individuals with disabilities.
- Sundance breakout "Take Me Home" was among the inaugural winners, alongside social creator Cassidy Huff (@CassHuff), who won Best Social Creator over nominees Molly Burke and The Squeaky Wheel.
Why it matters: The DARCYS relaunch carries a 45-year lineage from the Media Access Awards and institutional backing from Easterseals Southern California and Film Independent, giving disability representation a dedicated awards track. With selection committees composed of a majority of members with disabilities and a $5,000 grant attached to the Christopher Reeve Emerging Talent Award, the ceremony builds concrete career infrastructure alongside symbolic recognition.
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