For the first time ever, Superfest Disability Film Festival will host a screening of some of their previously featured films online. Organized by the Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University, Superfest is the longest-running festival of its kind in the world.
The showcase will consist of the following short films:
Awake (22 minutes)
Anna, a woman living with Multiple Sclerosis is visited by Doreen, a door-to-door proselytizer who makes herself at home and stays the day, slowly defrosting her non-welcome. Together they walk in the park, bake a chocolate cake, and watch an Ingmar Bergman film.
Gaelynn Lea (11 minutes)
Minnesota violinist and disability rights advocate Gaelynn Lea travels the upper Midwest on tour, experiencing the ups and downs of the road while hustling hard to make it as a performer and artist.
Stinky Chicken Dog (13 minutes)
New filmmaker Jenni Funk explores the complex and beautiful relationships between people with disabilities and their animals.
The Gallery (8 minutes)
At an audition, Maya becomes part of an absurd cycle, and loses track of who she’s performing for and why.
Chief (17 minutes)
This reverent ode to the service dog tells the story of German immigrant Sonja Ohldag and her dog Chief.
Inclinations (5 minutes)
Choreographed, directed and shot from disability perspectives, this dance-on-video short contrasts the playful connections when disability aesthetics, community and a ramp meet the institutional histories and discordant inclinations that can lurk just below the surface.
“We know that as many disabled people are at higher risk of COVID-19 and are staying inside – voluntarily or involuntarily depending on geography, disability culture is going to be key to getting people through this trying time,” said Dr. Emily Smith Beitiks, Associate Director of the Longmore Institute on Disability. The hope, she said, was that the disability community “will benefit from this free escape into good films & disability representations!”
The screening will take place tonight, March 19, 2020 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The entire program is free to stream from the comfort of your home. If you wish to take advantage of this unique opportunity, visit www.tinyurl.com/superfestonline and register to join the broadcast.
All films will play with open audio description and captioning, and live captioning will be provided for introductions and conversation.
I am personally looking forward to this experience, and hope you’ll join me tonight from wherever in the world you may be!
