Becoming Bulletproof

Filmmaker Michael Barnett's touching documentary is about the making of an unusual Western film called Bulletproof—the latest in a string of annual productions from Zeno Mountain Farm in Vermont that star a diverse group of disabled and non-disabled actors. A longtime project run by brothers Will and Peter Halby and their wives, Zeno accepts volunteer actors with any kind of disability and a desire to perform. Viewers will get to know quite a few of the actors, but the focus is largely on two unique and fascinating individuals: Jeremy Vest, born with Williams syndrome—a developmental disorder that results in elfin features, as well as more serious complications—who stars as the title character, a hero with a six-shooter; and A.J. Murray, a wheelchair-bound young man with cerebral palsy, who plays a mayor. For a couple of weeks every year, these eager actors get to experience life without limits to their hopes and dreams (Murray, especially, wants to turn his hobby into a career). Also rewarding for everyone concerned is seeing the finished film on a big screen in a nice theater, surrounded by family and friends. As for the people at Zeno who make all this possible, they explain how important it is to get past one's knee-jerk inclination to dismiss people with disabilities and be able to see things through their eyes. Recommended. (T. Keogh)