Austin360 blogs > Austin Movie Blog > Archives > 2010 > April > 06 > Entry
Complaint says SXSW film fest not accessible
Advocacy Inc. of Austin has filed two complaints with the Justice Department contending that March’s South by Southwest Film and Interactive Conference and Festival was not fully accessible to people who use wheelchairs.
In the complaints, California sound designer James LeBrecht , who uses a wheelchair and co-moderated one of the festival’s film panels, said he told SXSW organizers about accessibility problems at the 2009 festival. He said he raised issues such as lack of access to complimentary shuttles that take badge holders to festival venues, including the Paramount Theatre and the Austin Convention Center, and the lack of designated seating for people in wheelchairs and their companions at some venues.
LeBrecht said the same problems occurred this year.
Roland Swenson, managing director of South by Southwest , said he was unaware of the 2009 complaints but had received an e-mail from LaBrecht about this year’s issues.
“We’re looking for some help in figuring out what our responsibilities are,” Swenson said. “We’re sympathetic to the problem … and we’ve responded successfully in the past when people with disabilities have approached us about problems.”
Swenson said that SXSW contracted with R&R Limousine and Bus to provide shuttle service.
Advocacy also lodged a complaint on LaBrecht’s behalf against Panasonic Corp . LaBrecht said the only way to access a Panasonic exhibition featuring 3-D HDTV technology was to climb a set of stairs attached to a vehicle outside the convention center.
The complaints said that Panasonic contends its exhibit is exempt from accessibility requirements because it travels from state to state. Advocacy contends that the federal Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 still applies.
Should the complaints be found valid, both SXSW and Panasonic could be fined up to $55,000, said Matt Bachop , the regional attorney for Advocacy But he said a more likely result would be a settlement with the Justice Department to address the issues.
Advocacy is a federally financed protection and advocacy system for Texans with disabilities. In the past, it has been involved in dozens of Texas cases. Last year, for instance, it filed a complaint about playground accessibility for a second-grader at Block House Creek Elementary School in Leander .
Advocacy was also recently involved in a battle over fixing problems at Texas’ 13 state-supported living centers for people with mental disabilities. Texas officials said last year that an agreement with the Justice Department was reached, calling for hiring more workers and speeding up abuse and neglect investigations. But Advocacy and the Arc of Texas still contend the agreement doesn’t do enough to ensure that residents have the opportunity to move into community settings.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: SXSW 2010
Comments
Austinites love to be heard, and we're giving you a bullhorn. We just ask that you keep things civil. Leave out the personal attacks. Do not use profanity, ethnic or racial slurs, or take shots at anyone's sexual orientation or religion. If you can't be nice, we reserve the right to remove your material and ban users who violate our Visitor's agreement. Click here to report comment abuse.