The idea of "Wings of Legacy" emerged from the inherent conflict in the juxtaposition of something fluid as dance with something inhibiting as a wheelchair. Hip-hop and ballet were chosen as motifs to represent the contradictory entities of youth and wisdom, ability and disability, life and death.

The intention was to present a story which does not focus on the disability of the lead character, Amy. In fact, Amy is not a hero or a victim, as most disabled characters are portrayed. She is a normal girl who has character flaws like the rest of us. Her disability only added a new dimension to her individuality.
Amy is played by Auti Angel, a wheelchair dancer who lost the use of her legs in a 1992 accident. The role of the teacher, Eva, is played by Zina Bethune. Having overcome numerous experimental surgeries on dysplastic hips, and coping with scoliosis and lymphedema, Zina continues to pursue an active artistic career.

Wings of Legacy is my first venture on the creative side of filmmaking. I had the outstanding opportunity of writing, producing, directing as well as editing the film.
"Wings of Legacy" does not claim that it will change the way we look at the world of disability, but it definitely is a small step in that direction.


CASTING:

The idea, initially, was to cast an actress for the lead and then to train her to dance in a wheelchair. I approached a lot of casting agencies, one of them being Media Access, Auti Angel's agency. Before meeting Auti, I was a bit apprehensive. The notion of a girl in a wheelchair who could dance was alien to me. My first memory of Auti is more of an energy than a face; an energy that took away all my fatigue of endless preparations for the movie. Many have thought that I wrote the story after meeting Auti; but it is just that she was meant to play the role.

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