Michael Wells was born through a breached birth at a time in the Bahamas when caesareans were not an option. Michael was pulled from out the womb by his feet and suffered severe neurological damage. He was born with cerebral palsy. He has no control of his limbs. In his early life he was treated like a vegetable, he was not allowed in any school and did not receive any formal education. Michael learned to read and write through watching Sesame Street. He surprised his family when he wrote the words I AM NOT A DUMMY on a piece of paper. Since then he has written a book of short stories, ran as a candidate in the Montagu constituency and will soon release his second book. This film follows him on his journey to get published; the daily challenges faced by his seventy four year old caregiver and father and Michael's tireless fight as an advocate for disability rights. I Am Not A Dummy is a critically needed view of disability in The Bahamas. It illustrates the experience of Michael Wells, a Bahamian that has risen above the odds. I Am Not A Dummy documents the need for supportive, culturally-competent, affirmative programming for disabled individuals and their families.


BAHAMAS / 2008 / 60 mins
Language: English
Director: Kareem Mortimer
Producers: Kareem Mortimer, Christopher Herrod
Screenwriters: Michael Wells, Kareem Mortimer
Principal Cast: Michael Wells, Roderick Wells, Shirley Francis

Genre: Documentary
Caribbean Spotlight