Superfest Disability Film Festival Presents "The Dissies"

The Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University and the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind are pleased to announce the return of Superfest, the longest running disability film festival! This year's Superfest event will take a powerful look backward to explore the worst of the worst in the film representation of disability. We'll feature many telling examples of how far we've come and we'll highlight the worst of the worst with a new trophied award, "the Dissies."

Superfest International Disability Film Festival will dazzle you with a fun evening that is sure to be filled with laughter and entertainment. Superfest is a powerful event that encourages people to discuss how representations of disabilities influence film, and how disabled individuals experience these representations.

This year’s Superfest will consist of a special event, “The Dissies,” modeled after the acclaimed Razzies. We will contemplate disability in film by recognizing and reclaiming the more regrettable representations of disability in movies. We asked our disability communities to nominate the films in which negative portrayals of disability most affected them. We gleaned through each nomination to find the most “dis”enchanting moments to show at the festival. After showing a short clip from each nominee, the audience - you - will have the opportunity to vote for the worst of the worst.

Dissies categories include:

• The Worst Disabled Villain
• The Most Amazing Miracle
• Crips Gone Wild
• and many more! 

For this important evening together, everyone will be experts charged with exposing and denouncing the old stereotypes for what they are.

We are excited that Lawrence Carter-Long will join us as our Master of Ceremonies. Mr. Carter-Long is the founder and curator of “disTHIS! Film Series: disability through a whole new lens,” and he has been a media spokesperson for disability issues on NPR, the BBC, CNN, NBC’s Today Show, and the New York Times. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this exciting event! No one will be turned away for the inability to purchase a ticket.

LOGISTICS

• Doors open at 6pm - come early for beer and wine! The event begins at 7pm. After the Dissies, everyone is invited to stick around until 10pm for beer, wine, and more fun!
• Festive dress is encouraged, but not necessary. If you're itching for a chance to dust off that tux or ballgown, go for it!
• Tickets can be purchased at the door by credit card, cash, or check. $10 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away from inability to pay.
• The event will have live-captioning, ASL interpreting, and audio description.
• Please refrain from wearing any scented products or perfumes.
• It is roughly 15 minutes walk/roll from Castro muni station or 8 minutes from 16th St Mission BART.

Thank you to our event sponsor, Amramp!

**Please note: THIS EVENT WILL BE FILMED.

Missed the Dissies? Thanks to San Francisco State University's Academic Technology, you can get a taste of what the event was all about here: