There is a debate happening now about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). While this is going on, it is a good idea to watch the short film "Cuerdas".
Cuerdas is one of the best teaching resources for explaining to young students the rights of persons with disabilities.
Rather than portraying disability as a tragedy or a medical problem, the film focuses on the dignity, personality, and human relationships of a child with severe cerebral palsy.
The protagonist, María, instinctively rejects exclusion and seeks ways to communicate, play, and include Nicolás in ordinary school life. In doing so, the film illustrates fundamental CRPD principles such as:
- Respect for inherent dignity.
- Non-discrimination.
- Inclusion and participation in society.
- Equality of opportunity.
- Respect for difference.
- Accessibility through adaptation rather than segregation.
- The importance of friendship, care, and social belonging.
Cuerdas won the 2014 Goya Awards for Best Animated Short Film and went on to become one of the most awarded short films in history. It received hundreds of prizes at international film festivals and was recognized by Guinness World Records as the most awarded animated short film, with 240 awards verified in 2016. Later, it accumulated 384 awards worldwide, becoming one of the most decorated short films ever made.
Today, Cuerdas is widely used in:
- University courses on disability rights and human rights.
- Teacher training programs.
- Inclusive education workshops.
- Special education and rehabilitation programs.
- Catholic schools and values education programs.
- Medical and nursing ethics courses.
- Conferences on disability, inclusion, and dignity.
- Awareness campaigns organized by disability associations and NGOs.