Heather Rose (1966–2002) was a woman severely affected by cerebral palsy. Working with director Rolf de Heer, she conceptualised, co-wrote and played the lead role in the film Dance Me to My Song (1998), which drew heavily on her own experiences living with cerebral palsy. The documentary Heather Rose Goes to Cannes, directed by Christopher Corin for SBS Independent, tracks Rose's extraordinary journey from her suburban Adelaide home to the Palais de Festival in Cannes, where the film screened in competition and received a rapturous reception.

This clip reflects how the documentary is anchored by Rose's internal reflections. Scenes of Rose drafting the screenplay with co-writer Fred Stahl are accompanied by a voice-over that details her emotions about appearing in de Heer’s earlier Bad Boy Bubby (1994) and her unique creative process. Although her words are spoken by an able-bodied actress, Eileen Darley, Rose makes it clear to the audience that she is telling her own story: ‘This is not my voice you are hearing, but I'd like to think I'd have sounded like this.’

During a time when those living with disabilities were rarely granted creative control in film, these intimate scenes capture Rose's determination and her use of contemporary technology. She swaps script drafts using an online message board, records her vocals for the soundtrack and communicates with collaborators through an assistive device.

For those who have seen Dance Me to My Song, the documentary contains multiple easter eggs that demonstrate how much Rose drew on her own life experience for inspiration. The film was shot at her house in Adelaide, and the wooden board in the back of her wheelchair, covered in numbers and letters, was made by Rose’s grandfather when she was a girl to enable her to spell out words.