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With the Hollywood writers on strike, American television viewers face the prospect of being offered even more "reality TV" shows than in the past. In television's bizarre parallel universe, "reality" means something very different from what it means in life—basically, it means entertainment that doesn't require paid writers, only non-professionals who are so desperate for fame that they will participate in any indignity the producers can conceive.

But what if, like me, you don't see competitive wife-swapping or multimillion-dollar home makeovers as "reality" in any meaningful sense of the word? What if you have an interest in real stories involving real people engaged in real situations? What if you're particularly interested in stories that involve real portrayals of disability?

If so, turn off network TV, and turn onto the world of independent documentary films. Here, in no particular order, are 10 disability-themed documentaries that I've found intriguing and provocative. They cover a wide range of regions and experiences, but they're all worth watching. Most (except, sadly, two of the best) are available through commercial DVD rental services like Netflix.

My Flesh and Blood (2003), Directed by Jonathan Karsh.
This documentary covers a year in the life of Susan Tom and her family, which includes 11 adopted children with various physical and emotional disabilities. It's a very honest portrait of this family's joys and difficulties, including the trauma of one child's death. Yet this is not a depressing movie, for it also shows children growing up in an atmosphere of acceptance and pride. I'll never forget the subversive, celebratory Halloween scene.

Sound and Fury (2000), Directed by Josh Aronson.
This in-depth examination of Deaf culture profiles two families who take very different approaches to the issue of cochlear implants. It's utterly absorbing, as it explores the political, cultural, and personal impact of this issue. The movie offers no easy answers, just a lot of fascinating questions.

Murderball (2005), Directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro.
This testosterone-driven yet highly engaging sports documentary, which won the 2005 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar, follows the U.S. Quad Rugby Team's quest to compete in the Paralympics. The movie profiles the individual players, their ambitions, their flaws, their dreams, and their quirks.

Southern Comfort (2001), Directed by Kate Davis.
This film explores an intersection of identities: transgender, Southern, and chronic illness causing disability. It's the story of Robert Eads, a female-to-male transsexual, who has advanced ovarian cancer. Robert uses a wheelchair through much of the film, and relies on physical and emotional support from his partner and friends, as he advocates and educates on behalf of the transgender community. Disability politics are not explicitly discussed in the film, but Robert's story does embody important themes such as gendered experiences of illness, health care discrimination, and care giving.

Emmanuel's Gift (2005), Directed by Lisa Lax, Nancy Stern.
People with disabilities constitute a global community, and this documentary offers a close-up view of discrimination and resistance in the West African nation of Ghana. The film profiles Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who has a congenital impairment in his right leg. With support from a U.S. philanthropy, Emmanuel launches a one-man crusade to change his fellow Ghanaians’ attitudes toward disability. At times this movie veers toward the "inspirational cripple" stereotype, but it does offer insight into the lives of Ghana's two million people with disabilities.

Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997), Directed by Kirby Dick.
For adults only. This documentary portrait of the late Bob Flanagan is not for the faint of heart. Flanagan, a writer and performance artist who had cystic fibrosis, died in 1996 at the age of 43. By inflicting pain on himself—and sharing his sadomasochistic (SM) activities with the public—Flanagan sought to come to terms with his troubled body. The movie follows Flanagan's creative career, sexual fetishes, illness, and death. The SM scenes can be disturbing, but even more wrenching is the movie's conclusion, as Flanagan enters the hospital and allows the camera to film the final moments of his life.

How's Your News? (1999), Directed by Arthur Bradford.
People with disabilities are often encouraged to stay hidden, unless they/we can appear as much like the nondisabled majority as possible. This hilarious documentary turns that idea on its head, as five people with significant mental and physical disabilities travel around the country in an RV, conducting on-camera interviews with members of the public. These "reporters" can't lay claim to traditional journalistic methods, but they nevertheless reveal a great deal about human nature and American culture as they unapologetically ask questions, express opinions, and expect their interview subjects to deal with them on their own terms.

Bowling for Columbine (2002), Directed by Michael Moore.
Moore's controversial documentary about gun violence includes a disability component in the person of Richard Castaldo, a young man who survived the massacre at Columbine High School, in which he sustained a spinal injury. In his wheelchair, Castaldo accompanies Moore to Kmart's corporate headquarters to advocate a moratorium on gun sales. For me, his appearance raises some interesting questions: When people with disabilities participate in anti-violence campaigns, do they reinforce negative attitudes about disability? How does our disability culture, with its sense of pride and penchant for positive images, integrate the idea of disability caused by violence? Bowling for Columbine doesn't address these issues directly; you'll have to come to your own conclusions.

When Billy Broke His Head . . . and Other Tales of Wonder (1994), Directed by Billy Golfus and David E. Simpson.
This is probably the best disability movie I've ever seen, in any genre. The director, narrator, and protagonist, Billy Golfus, describes his brain injury and its aftermath—physical, cognitive, and social. He then embarks on a journey that is both movingly personal and profoundly political, traveling across the country to meet disability-rights activists. Billy does not lecture his audience; rather, he allows viewers to share in his growing awareness as he realizes how discrimination, bureaucracy, and other injustices limit the potential of people with disabilities.

King Gimp (1999), Directed by Susan Hannah Hadary and William A. Whiteford.
This Oscar-winning documentary profiles painter Dan Keplinger, who was born with cerebral palsy. The two filmmakers chronicle Keplinger's life from ages 12 to 25, as he grows up, goes to school, forms friendships, manages attendant services, and develops his powerful artistic visions.

Unfortunately, and inexplicably, neither of these last two high-quality films is carried by the major commercial DVD services. You may be able to find them in your local public or university library, or independent living center. Or you can purchase them (or persuade the aforementioned library or ILC to purchase them).

When Billy Broke his Head is available from Fanlight Productions, at http://www.fanlight.com/catalog/films/136_wbbhh.php. 

King Gimp is available from Video Press at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and http://www.videopress.umaryland.edu/King_Gimp.html