Peter chose happiness, and he won an award for it
December 22, 2025
Peter Chambers, living with MND, recently won an award for his short film I choose Happiness at the 2025 Focus on Ability Short Film Festival.
Before having MND, he never would have thought he’d have entered a film into a film festival. He shares how he got here, and what he’s hoping people take away from his work.
A diagnosis of MND completely changed Peter Chambers’ life. He’d spent 18 months with doctors investigating all of the possible causes of his muscle deterioration before finding out that he did, definitely, have MND.
Once he had the diagnosis, things moved quickly: his wife immediately startling googling MND and learning everything she could, one of MND Victoria’s advisor and support coordinators came to his house within a couple of days, and discussions about what this next chapter of his life looked like were abundant.
In one of those discussions with his MND advisor, the topic of ‘legacy’ really hit him.
One of the things that annoys me whenever you go to a funeral is that the celebrant doesn’t know the person who has passed and gets all the info from the family and this and that, then says ‘I didn’t know peter, but from what I’ve heard he was a really really good bloke,’ and I wanted my way of representing that I was a good bloke, I want to make a film.
He’d never made a film or video before, and largely didn’t think of himself as a creative. But talking about his want to do this, and the idea he had of creating his own legacy, prompted his advisor to introduce him to a video editor that she knew, Helena.
For Peter, he wants to be known as a man who chose happiness—both in his general life, and in the face of his biggest adversity: his MND.
“I’m a naturally positive person, but this is different because I set myself a new standard of being happy.
"Because I know that it keeps my family happy and balanced—and that’s the most important thing to me, that they’re on this ride, and they can have as much of a smile as they can manage, because the alternative is no good.
"And I won’t allow the alternative of them not enjoying their lives"
There wasn’t an initial plan for how to capture this on film, or where it would even go. So early on, every time he thought that there could be something here that would bring people joy, he would pass over his phone and tell people to record him.
Over the last few years Peter’s been regularly recording bits of advice on finding the positive side of things, funny moments that wouldn’t have happened without his MND, the experiences and opportunities he’s taken up within the MND community, and a few rants by his alter-ego ‘Cranky Pete’.
Focus On Ability Film Festival
Helena’s been there throughout the entire journey, editing and popping each of these videos online, and regularly chatting with Peter about what they can do with all of his content. When she learned about the Focus On Ability Film Festival, she suggested that they use his existing content to create a short film that would share his message to a wider audience.
They decided that they wanted to choose and arrange the content to show off how much Peter has actively chosen happiness, and chosen to find the humor and lightness in every day. The film doesn’t shy away from how hard MND is, and doesn’t pretend that Peter is always happy (Cranky Pete makes a good appearance), but it also shows that you can choose to have a bit of fun in your wheelchair, and that at heart, having MND doesn’t make someone any less relatable, any less able to make a joke, or any less able to enjoy some time with their family.
Screenings of the film were held across the country, where I Choose Happiness was garnering a lot of praise from audiences for delivering a lot laughter, reflection, and an overall touching message in just 5 minutes.
The audience’s favor further proved itself when Peter’s film was awarded as the winner of the Voter’s Choice Award.
“When they called my name and I could see my face on the screen, I was thrilled, and I was gob-smacked that people voting online thought that my film was the best.
“The feedback I’m getting is that people enjoy my attitude. That in the face of adversity I have a smile on my face, and to take the piss out of myself.
“The word inspiring keeps popping up, and that’s great! I love inspiring people, and that people think that what I’m doing is inspiring. It gives me the encouragement to do more, and to push boundaries more.”
Right now, Peter’s planning what else he can create for the 2026 Focus on Ability Film Festival, as well as other film festivals internationally. He wants to expand his message and approach to life, showing that it’s not just about him and his experience with MND—anyone can choose happiness.
“I’ve got my way of coping, and I don’t pretend to be in a position to tell others how to cope because everyone’s going to have individual ways to coping, but what I’m hoping to show is that there’s a genuine alternative that I’m highlighting—that you’re allowed to be happy when faced with adversity such as this.
This is my way of being happy, and hopefully I’m demonstrated it in such a way that others can learn or take pieces from it or it simply improves their life.”
Share page