Twenty bodies. One thread of movement. Unbound is a short dance film created by individuals living with ME/CFS and/or Long COVID, exploring the tension between constraint and expression, stillness and vitality.

Born from the personal experiences of director Sara Nesson and founder of Unfixed Media Kimberly Warner—both artists living with chronic illness—Unbound is a collaborative dance film that reframes disability through the language of movement. The work weaves together short, self-recorded videos from participants located in backyards, beds, chairs, and living rooms. Rather than hiding their limitations, the film leans into them—amplifying the truth of bodies that ache to move and the creative resilience that emerges when movement is redefined. The result is a visual dialogue, a passing of the dance in which one gesture flows into the next, echoing collective struggle and shared joy.

In a world that often equates disability with defeat, Unbound reclaims disability as a site of artistry.

directed by Sara Nesson
music by Colby Savary & Mark Orton
produced by Kimberly Warner

the cast

Note: The twenty individuals featured in Unbound do not represent the full range of disability associated with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) and Long COVID. While some of the participants live with severe limitations, they chose to film brief moments of movement during rare windows of available energy, rather than in states of complete stillness. These moments should not be understood as representative of their day-to-day functioning. Others in the broader community are too ill to take part in a project like this. We hope Unbound offers one window into lives that are too often unseen, while recognizing that no single film can capture the full breadth and complexity of ME/CFS or Long COVID.

press & honors

premiere partners

Unbound was a self-funded labor of love. We are deeply grateful to our premiere partners for helping the film reach a wider audience. Their work extends far beyond this film and into the lives of the communities they serve.