Yaara Kedem

Hi, I’m Yaara!
Film Event Accessibility Consultant and Producer, dedicated to making art, culture, and community accessible to everyone.

Illustration of audiences with disabilities looking at cinema screen.

As a disability ally, I work with filmmakers and film organizations to expand accessibility and build more inclusive programs.

Accessibility Consulting

How to be ‘accessible’?

The film and media industries are recognizing the need for truly inclusive spaces for people with disabilities. But how do you get there? I help organizations create tailored strategies to welcome authentic disability stories, creators, speakers, and audiences at film and cultural events.

With extensive hands-on experience in film festival production, I work with leadership, operations, and programming teams to set inclusion goals, address challenges, and create sustainable accessibility plans for screenings, festivals, and community programs.

Where do we start?

Accessibility is about creating synergy between three key areas:
Illustration of three people sitting on a stage with lights pointed at it. One person with a cane, one with a wheelchair, and one on a chair. A ramp is connected to the stage.

Content

Showcasing authentic disability stories and involving disabled speakers, curators, and staff in leadership roles.

Spaces

Ensuring both in-person and virtual venues are accommodating to disabled and non-disabled audiences.

Illustration of a building with a ramp leading to it's main entrance.
Illustration of two hands shaking.

Communication

Developing outreach and promotional strategies that actively engage the disability community.

The Process

Tackling accessibility can be overwhelming. Let’s break it down.
Stage 1: Review

Assess current accessibility practices across departments to identify barriers and opportunities to improve.

Stage 2: Revise

Update operations, communication, and programming to integrate inclusive practices.

Stage 3: Relay

Promote your accessibility offerings and actively connect with disabled audiences and organizations.

How I Can Help

Let’s create meaningful and lasting accessibility improvements.
Illustration of a person in a wheelchair sitting by a desk with a sign saying "access" behind them.

Plan accessibility practices

for screenings and events

Illustration of three people sitting on a stage with lights pointed at it. One person with a cane, one with a wheelchair, and one on a chair. A ramp is connected to the stage.

Curate films, panels, and programs

highlighting disabled perspectives

Illustration of two people facing a screen with captions on it.

Produce film accessibility assets

(captions, audio description)

Audit accessibility across departments

to identify barriers and solutions

Develop long-term multi-stage

accessibility growth plans

Illustration of a handshake

Design outreach and partnership strategies to engage the disability community

About Me

Yaara Kedem (she/her)

I was born in Jerusalem and have always been drawn to both film and education. That dual passion led me to earn a degree in Film and Television alongside Special Education and School Counseling at Tel Aviv University, an intersection that continues to shape my work today.

In 2015, I moved to New York and oversaw programming and production at the Carole Zabar Center for Film at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, curating festivals including the Other Israel Film Festival, Israel Film Center Festival, and ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York. As I grew passionate over making film events accessible, I later became Director of the ReelAbilities International program, where I managed the global network of 20+ accessible film festivals and events celebrating the artistic expression of people with disabilities.

Earlier in my career, my multi-interests led me to many life-shaping experiences, including leading the Summit Camp travel program – coordinating domestic and international tours for neurodivergent teens and young adults; managing an exclusive front-house-team at the Tribeca Film Festival; and heading the Dubbing and Translation Department at Hop! TV Channel for children and toddlers in Israel. I’ve also translated five children’s books from Hebrew to English, and subtitled projects for Netflix, MTV, and Nickelodeon.

Today, I live in Brooklyn, NY, and balance my work as a freelance Accessibility Consultant with my role as Community and Educational Manager at Clixo by Toyish Labs Inc., a design studio and toy company creating universally designed toys that inspire imagination and inclusivity.

I thrive on collaboration, creativity, and exploring new ideas and places, and I’m passionate about making art, culture, and play more available for all.

Read my statement – Why Film CAN Be for Everyone
Woman with curly gray curls blowing in the wind wearing a black turtleneck seater and tan pants, leaning with her back to a railing and staring directly at the camera with a slight smile.

What I Bring to the Table

On overview five people sitting on a wooden stage with a screen behind them. One is signing, and one holding the mic.
Panelist, Inclusive Music Making, Accessibility, and their Innovative Applications in the Arts Roundtable, Austrian Cultural Forum NYC/Zero Project, 2022.
Passion for Elevating Disabled Filmmakers and Creators

With a deep appreciation for film, I’ve dedicated much of my career to working with artists whose voices are often excluded from mainstream cultural narratives. My goal is to ensure their work is reaching all audiences.

Collaborative Leadership

I foster an environment of open communication, mutual respect, and humor, creating space where team members feel valued and empowered to share their ideas, perspectives, and passions.

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

In fast-paced settings that require quick results, I thrive by finding innovative solutions using available resources, ensuring progress even in challenging circumstances.

Scalable Results

I develop clear strategies with actionable goals, helping organizations enhance accessibility in the short term while laying the foundation for sustainable, long-term growth.

Organizations I’ve Worked With

A tall blue rectangle, like the universal accessibility sign, with a circle outline in the center; 25 percent of the circle is colored in lime green, 75 percent is colored in white. Below the circle, says "1IN4." Number 1 is in lime green color and 1IN4 is in white.
Logo with black and orange text on a white background: ReelAbilities Film Festival
Logo with black text on white background, reading: Museum of the Moving Image
If/Then Shorts logo with white and yellow text on a black square background.
Purple line graphic shaped as wings with a heart halo, reading: Give Beauty Wings
Logo with black text on white background, with two asymmetrical orange horizontal lines on top and bottom, reading: FEAW
Logo with illustration of elevator with red blood spilling out of it, with text: "Access Horror"
Yellow text shaped like a school bus, with a red road and map below it, reading Ride the Omnibus
White text on black background reading ITVS logo
Black text on white background reading "Outfest Fusion"
Pink text on white background reading: Outfest Los Angeles
Logo with a black-and-white image of a person peering through a film roll, and black text on a gray background: The Chicago International Film Festival
FWD-Dox logo in black text
Full Spectrum Features logo in black text besides two overlapping diamond shapes

Programs and Appearances

Speaker, Teach Access Student Academy: Creating Inclusive Events with Mariella Paulino, Adriana Mallozzi, and Yaara Kedem, March 2024.
Speaker, Inclusive Music Making, Accessibility, and their Innovative Applications in the Arts Roundtable, Austrian Cultural Forum NYC/Zero Project, 2022.
Moderator, Opening Night Q+A, with Best Summer Ever creators and cast, ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, 2021.
Producer, ReelAbilities Comedy Night – What’s So Funny? Panel Discussion ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, 2020.
Producer, Just Do It?: The Impact of Perfectionism & Productivity on Mental Health and Disability, ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, 2022.

Let’s get to work!

Contact me to explore how we can enhance accessibility and foster disability inclusion within your organization and programming.

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Feedback

I am still learning and growing in my knowledge and understanding. I can make mistakes sometimes, and might overlook certain areas I should be sensitive to. If you notice aspects of my language, web accessibility, or approach that could use improvement – please reach out and let me know.