The Daily OrangeFilm festival analyzes themes of disability
By Attila Berry
Posted: 10/18/04, 3:00 AM EST Section: Pulp
Sometimes, it hurts to laugh.
Students, professors and community members - some in wheelchairs, a few on crutches and others with autism - came together to view and discuss four major films and other film shorts all dealing with comedy and disability for the film festival "Laughing with Us" this weekend in the Hall of Languages.
The three-day film festival, sponsored by the Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee, and many other organizations, included popular movies, television shows, documentaries and artistic films. BCCC started the film festival last year when the group hosted a different film every Monday night of the fall semester.
They wanted to include disability as a part of diversity and worked to educate the public and Syracuse University students about the stereotypes surrounding disability in popular media. This year, the group focused its attention and its time on a weekend film session about how comedy and disability can go hand in hand.
"I think this year's is a little more progressive because the idea of disability humor is about resistance in a lot of ways," said Zach Rossetti, a doctoral student and a member of BCCC.
On Saturday, audience members watched the new documentary "Autism is a World," and its director, Gerardine Wurzburg, attended the festival. Wurzburg won an Oscar for the film "Educating Peter" in 1992.
The autistic members of the audience participated in the discussion through interpreters, facilitated typing machines and electronic voices. Their discussion evolved into a debate, chorused by people typing.
"It's so important for the public to be educated about us, and this film is terrific," said Jenn Seybert, an autistic student, about the documentary, "Autism is a World." "We are who we are, and life has to roll with us."
"Autism is a World" describes the life of Sue Rubin, an autistic woman who, for the first 13 years of her life, was considered mentally disabled. She began communicating through a technique called facilitated communication that uses keyboards and instructors to help autistic people express their thoughts through writing. She went from testing at a 29 IQ level to 133 IQ level, and the film tracked her through her daily life, going to college, hanging out with friends and family and having fun at horse races.
Students, professors and community members - some in wheelchairs, a few on crutches and others with autism - came together to view and discuss four major films and other film shorts all dealing with comedy and disability for the film festival "Laughing with Us" this weekend in the Hall of Languages.
The three-day film festival, sponsored by the Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee, and many other organizations, included popular movies, television shows, documentaries and artistic films. BCCC started the film festival last year when the group hosted a different film every Monday night of the fall semester.
They wanted to include disability as a part of diversity and worked to educate the public and Syracuse University students about the stereotypes surrounding disability in popular media. This year, the group focused its attention and its time on a weekend film session about how comedy and disability can go hand in hand.
"I think this year's is a little more progressive because the idea of disability humor is about resistance in a lot of ways," said Zach Rossetti, a doctoral student and a member of BCCC.
On Saturday, audience members watched the new documentary "Autism is a World," and its director, Gerardine Wurzburg, attended the festival. Wurzburg won an Oscar for the film "Educating Peter" in 1992.
The autistic members of the audience participated in the discussion through interpreters, facilitated typing machines and electronic voices. Their discussion evolved into a debate, chorused by people typing.
"It's so important for the public to be educated about us, and this film is terrific," said Jenn Seybert, an autistic student, about the documentary, "Autism is a World." "We are who we are, and life has to roll with us."
"Autism is a World" describes the life of Sue Rubin, an autistic woman who, for the first 13 years of her life, was considered mentally disabled. She began communicating through a technique called facilitated communication that uses keyboards and instructors to help autistic people express their thoughts through writing. She went from testing at a 29 IQ level to 133 IQ level, and the film tracked her through her daily life, going to college, hanging out with friends and family and having fun at horse races.
