What Have You Gained?: Bonnie Sherr Klein's Journal

By Brian Smith

Bonnie Sherr Klein is a true gem. She recently finished a documentary entitled, Shameless: The Art of Disablility. So, I wanted to profile it here. I'm no film critic, but I do have some opinions about how disabilities, not to mention the people who live with them, are portrayed in film. Shameless is truly a great film on these and other levels. Bonnie has captured the richness, compelxity and vitality of the artists about which the film revolves. Each of these unique people reminds us of the necessity of relationships. The National Film Board has a very good site about Bonnie that is well worth the trip over. One element of that site that I really appreciate are the video journals with Bonnie sharing wonderful stories of her life, art and disability. What Have You Gained? captures some profound reflections on what her disabilities have meant for her sense of belonging. Here's an introduction: "Living with her disability has changed the way Bonnie Klein sees herself in relation to the rest of humanity. While there are certainly losses that come with a disability, the experience has given her a sense of her "commonness with any other mortal". She sees now how she lived a privileged life and is grateful for how the stroke has levelled her."