Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability - Film

Superfest Films on Alaska Airlines Flights

Nathan Burns — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 20:02:04 +0000

We’re excited to announce that select past Superfest films will be showcased onboard Alaska Airlines flights!

These films will be shown among films from a diverse range of film festivals on the west coast and Hawaii. The selections range from animation, to documentary style, to short films, and more.

Here are the past Superfest films that are being showcased:

Chief

This reverent ode to the service dog tells the story of German immigrant Sonja Ohldag, who is diagnosed with a seizure disorder after moving to the U.S. in 1999. Unable to afford a service animal from an organization, Sonja trains her dog herself and takes a chance on Chief, who is not your average service dog.

Gaslit

A young disabled woman fights to hold on to her identity in the face of the world’s assumptions, and strives for independence from her parents, who doubt her ability to become a mother.

Awake

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.

Inclinations

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.

Stinky Chicken Dog 2

New filmmaker Jenni Funk explores the complex and beautiful relationships between people with disabilities and their animals. She uses a speech generating device to interview a service dog owner and a companion pet owner and tell her own story of a tense relationship with her formerly abused and traumatized pet Chihuahua (the stinky chicken dog) who is frightened of her movements and her voice.

Invalid Corps

In July 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early launches a surprise raid that takes him to the very gates of Washington DC. The city is in panic. Almost every able-bodied soldier from the Union has already been sent south for the siege of Petersburg, more than 100 miles away. The only defenders remaining are clerks, government officials, and the Invalid Corps. Made up of men injured in battle or by disease, these "hopeless cripples" must hold out for a desperate 24 hours until Union General Grant can send reinforcements. With Lincoln himself on the ramparts, they cannot afford to fail.

The Gallery

At an audition, Maya becomes part of an absurd cycle, and loses track of who she's performing for and why. The Gallery is a narrative short that explores how some marginalized groups can be shut out of cultural institutions, and how they can feel pressured into perpetuating a system that doesn't appear to be working in their favor.

The Penguin Who Couldn't Swim

This animated short, made by a disabled animator, follows the story of a penguin who lives on a rocky island in the southern seas where she feels isolated from the rest of her colony..

Bastion

Just before closing time, a completely bald man walks into a barber shop. Reflections in the window and an irritating fringe have told him that it’s time for a haircut.

Gaelynn Lea: The Songs We Sing

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.

To learn more about the other festivals being included, visit: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/2020-west-coast-film-festivals-alaska-entertainment/

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An Interview with Upcoming Superfest Filmmaker: Michael Achtman

Visitor — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 18:21:36 +0000

Enjoy this interview where Longmore Grad Assistant Alex Locust spoke with Michael Achtman, director of the film Awake, in anticipation of Superfest 2016. Awake is about the unlikely friendship that forms between two blind women: 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. For more information about Michael, and his work, visit his website. Awake screens at Superfest Sunday, October 23rd, at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in downtown San Francisco.

Watch the trailer; for audio description of the trailer, click here.

Alex Locust: What was the inspiration for this film?

Michael Achtman: The inspiration for Awake was a 1963 film by Ingmar Bergman called Winter Light. The first time I saw it I fell asleep half way through, and went into a surreal, dreamy state. I ended up using that in the film, where Doreen and Anna are watching an audio described version of the Bergman film. Doreen says, “Is this the type of thing you usually watch?” And then in Doreen’s dream, they become the characters from the Bergman film. Bergman’s film is about a Swedish pastor who has lost his faith. I came up with the idea of a blind Jehovah’s Witness, which provided a way for two strangers to meet, one who has faith and the other who doesn’t. Faith in a larger sense, not religious but just to get through the day.

AL: Tell us more about the casting process - did you have a goal of hiring disabled actors?

MA: I know a lot of disabled actors, so basically I’m writing for and casting my friends. In addition to that, I’m very interested in the representation of disabled people on film, so it gives me a lot to work with. You create something and realise it hasn’t been done before – that’s powerful and very motivating.

AL: Describe your experience working with actors who are blind (accessibility features on set, scripts, travel, etc.)?

MA: It wasn’t that big of a deal. Scripts were provided electronically and we covered travel expenses. Margo and Alex, the actors, had support workers on set, whom they were able to pay through a UK programme called Access to Work. Otherwise, I would have had to budget for that. We filmed in Alex’s house, so she had a familiarity with the set; otherwise she would have needed time to get familiar enough with the space to make it believable that she actually lived there. The two guide dogs got along, which was lucky – they spent most of the time cramped together in a small room upstairs! If people are really wondering how to work with Deaf or disabled actors (or crew members), just ask them what they need. Sit down and have a chat before you go into production and try to envision every situation that might come up. But I would recommend doing that with every actor. You might find out someone has an invisible impairment, like dyslexia or pain issues, and that will inform your approach. Doreen, the LDS proselytizer, left, and Anna, right, sitting on a bench in a park.

AL: Some people in the community are frustrated with the lack of opportunities for disabled actors to play disabled characters in film. What advice do you have for filmmakers trying to cast disabled actors in their films?

MA: Go see their work and get to know them. It’s true, in the UK anyway – there are lots of fabulous Deaf and disabled actors who don’t get enough opportunities to stretch their muscles. When they do get cast, it’s as “the blind person” or “the wheelchair user.” Write something (or find a script) that isn’t all about their impairment – but more about character, situation and a believable world. That’s not to say you can’t deal with disability-specific issues – for example, the social service cuts in the UK are affecting disabled people’s lives hugely, and there’s lots of potential for drama there. But a film about that would need to focus on particular, well-rounded characters, who have both virtues and flaws. That said, you need to think about whether your filmmaking process is accessible. Money is such a big issue that we tend to work in trying conditions, with long days, on a set in the middle of nowhere, that doesn’t have an accessible bathroom. If you want to use an actor who has fatigue issues, for example, you’re going to have to take that into consideration when scheduling, using more shorter days, and budget for that from the start.

AL: While some of the moments in Awake are somber, there are some great comedic elements as well. Did you all have fun on set? Any stories you can share?

MA: It was a tiny crew, so we were like family, and we had a lot of fun. We shot the film in two days, so you had to either laugh or cry! There’s a moment in the film where the two women are passing a spliff – they struggle to find each other’s hands and when they finally do they break out in laughter. That was unscripted and real, and it turned out to be an important turning point in the film – it’s the first time you see Anna laugh or even smile. I was just praying that we captured that properly on film because we couldn’t have repeated it so spontaneously. Anna, left, and Doreen, right, in the infamous spliff scene.

AL: What audiences did you have in mind when you made this film?

MA: An intelligent, sexy audience like the one at Superfest.

AL: Can you tell us about the decision to make the film black and white?

MA: That was inspired by the Bergman film. I felt that aesthetic represented Anna’s world, and the shades of grey – well, I’m getting too arty. But it ended up having a lot of resonance because the approaches to life of the two characters are so opposite. Also, you save on colour grading! Doreen, left, and Anna, right, baking a cake.

AL: What do you want audiences to leave Awake with?

MA: I hope it doesn’t sound preachy, but it’s not your circumstances, it’s your attitude. Depression is not something you can snap your fingers and make vanish, but sometimes a little human contact and compassion can turn things in another direction. In a wider sense, I think the films creates an identification with two blind women in a way that makes their lives seem ordinary. The drama is not about their impairments, it’s about the clashing of their temperaments and philosophies.

AL: What does being a part of Superfest mean to you as a filmmaker?

MA: We’re very honoured to be part of such a prestigious festival, and excited to show the film to the Bay Area audience. The Superfest mandate is sophisticated – you’ve seen the traditional representations of disability and you’re trying to show something different – and that’s exactly what the film is trying to do.

Buy your tickets to Superfest to catch Awake and more great films!

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Superfest: International Disability Film Festival

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Cross-Post: Interview with Superfest Coordinator Emily Smith Beitiks (Superfest: International Disability Film Festival)

Visitor — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 20:43:36 +0000

Associate Director Emily Beitiks talks about Superfest in an interview with Matthew Toffolo for festivalreviews.org.

Superfest: International Disability Film Festival is a showcase of juried films held in the San Francisco Bay Area. For nearly 30 years, this annual competition has celebrated cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability in all its diverse, complex, and empowering facets. We are proud to be the longest running disability film festival in the world.

http://www.superfestfilm.com/

Interview with Emily Smith Beitiks:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Emily Smith Beitiks: Superfest provides an opportunity for filmmakers to tell stories about disability that are more nuanced and complex than what we typically see in Hollywood, unfortunately. We celebrate the work of filmmakers with disability and explore how the insights of living with a disability enrich their work. In addition, we work closely with our filmmakers to help them get their films audio described and captioned. Even though the films are about disability, many filmmakers have never considered the importance of making films accessible to people with disabilities. We coach them on how they can go about this, as it is a mandatory requirement for all films that screen at our festival.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

EMB: Our 2016 attendees will experience some exceptional films that will push our audiences to reconsider what they know about disability and disabled people worldwide, but there’s much more to Superfest than just watching the films. We deliberately choose to limit our festival to a weekend so that it can serve as a more unified cultural event. From our hilarious emcee Nina G (the world’s best female, stuttering comedian) to our rich panels with filmmakers to our event party, Superfest allows our attendees to come together as a community to celebrate how disability enriches the arts. This year is the 30th anniversary of our festival, so we’re working even harder to make this our best year yet.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

EMB: Most importantly, we seek films that avoid the common but problematic tropes of disability. For example, we’re looking for films that neither patronize nor deify people with disabilities, that avoid stereotypes to go beyond disabled people as victims or villains. We get a lot of submissions that the disability community calls “inspiration porn.” These films look at the stories of individual disabled people while they do things like climbing Mt Everest or biking across continents to show what they can do in spite of their disabilities, never addressing the discrimination people with disabilities face nor questioning why a disabled person should have to do such herculean tasks in order to prove their social worth. Those get rejected real fast.

Read the rest of the interview on Festival Reviews here....

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Introducing Superfest 2016

Visitor — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 23:48:15 +0000

We're gearing up for another Superfest: International Disability Festival! This year marks our 30th anniversary so all of us at the Longmore Institute and our co-host organization, the SF LightHouse for the Blind and Vision Impaired, are feeling the pressure to make it our best year yet. The longest running festival of its kind, Superfest celebrates disability as a creative force in cutting-edge cinema. While you still have to wait until October for Superfest 30, you need not wait to see this year's poster...Ta Da!!!! We partnered with The Arc San Francisco, which asked their artists, all people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, to generate artwork while considering the phrases 'disability' and 'films' for inspiration. With so many enticing submissions, it was a tough decision, but we chose artist Tatyana Boyko's brightly colored twist on a director's chair. Graphic designer Alexandra Soiseth added the text details. We can't wait to show off this dynamic piece as we lead up to the festival, and we'll also share some of the runner ups in the months to come.

It's never too early to mark your calendar for this year's two-day event on Saturday, Oct 22 at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life in Berkeley and Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. With double the submissions from 2015, including entries from 18 countries, we're on track for an impressive and diverse line-up. You won't want to miss Superfest's 30th birthday bash!

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Superfest 2015: A Two-Day Sold Out Success!

Visitor — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 21:43:02 +0000

For 2015, we expanded Superfest to two days, two venues, and two sides of the Bay: November 14 (at the Magnes Collection in Berkeley) and Novemeber 15 (at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco). Both were sold-out! We screened ten films from five different countries, all with audio description and captioning. And most exciting of all, filmmakers from around the world joined us for lively discussions with the audience. Superfest attendees enjoy a laugh with Longmore Institute Director Cathy Kudlick (right). We extend our heart-felt thanks to everyone who participated in this important community event that celebrates the experiences and lives of people with disabilities! And thank you as well to our co-organizer the SF LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Stay tuned for photos from Sunday at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, coming soon. The cast of "To Be or Not To Be" accepts their award.

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