Superfest International Disability Film Festival

Superfest International Disability Film Festival
Location Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Contemporary Jewish Museum
Founded 1970
Produced by Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Hosted by Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, Contemporary Jewish Museum
Language Primarily English
Website superfestfilm.com

Superfest International Disability Film Festival is a juried film festival held in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] Superfest is the longest-running disability film festival in the world.[2] In addition to featuring films developed by and starring people with disabilities, Superfest aims to be inclusive.[3][4][5][6] The directors also coach the film makers about accessibility of films to people with disabilities.[1] During the film festival, the organizers provide sign language interpreters and film narrators to allow for the attendees with various disabilities to appreciate the films.[7] All of the judges for Superfest are people with disabilities from various community roles, including disability community organizers, disability studies scholars, and film aficionados.[4][5] Superfest closely follows the disability rights slogan: Nothing About Us Without Us.[1]

Stereotypes of disabilities are perpetuated through mainstream media and popular culture.[8][9] The aim of Superfest is to showcase films created by people with disabilities, illustrating real life experiences of disability and how universal the topic of disability can be.[4][5][1] Some film submissions are what the disability community refers to as inspiration porn.[10] These stories are generally regarding people with disabilities completing a great feat, in spite of their disabilities, and never approach the topic of discrimination of people with disabilities or the social standards to which people with disabilities are held.[1] Attendees express they can be authentic at Superfest and speak openly about their experiences.[10]

Superfest is held over a weekend and is considered more of a cultural event than a film festival.[1]

History

The Superfest International Disability Film Festival began in Los Angeles in 1970 as a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting films representing the diverse disability community. At that time, Superfest was a small film showcase and not yet considered a film festival.[4] In 1982, Culture! Disability! Talent! (CDT) took over operations of Superfest. In 1995, CDT decided to move Superfest from Los Angeles to Berkeley. Berkeley is significant to the disability rights movement and independent living.[4]

In 1998, Superfest expanded to encompass the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] Annual film festivals were held in Berkeley from 1998 to 2011. In 2009, Superfest held a commemorative two-day program featuring 13 disability films the committee considered classics of disability in film called Superfest Classics.[11]

In 2015, Superfest expanded to a two-day festival and recognized the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed into legislation.[5] With the beginnings as a grass-roots organization, Superfest has not been able to have a film festival each year since its founding. The 2016 festival was their 30th film festival.[7][12]

Films shown at Superfest Classics (2009)

Film title Director Producer Year initially shown at Superfest
About Love Tofik Shakhverdiev Tofik Shakhverdiev 2006
Annie Dearest Terry Galloway & Diane Wilkins Diane Wilkins Productions & Mickee Faust Films 2003
Assistive Technology Boogie Jim Tobias Jim Tobias 2005
Beyond Disability: the Fefe Stories Salome Chasnoff The Empowered Fefes 2005
Disability Culture Rap Jerry Smith Jerry Smith & Cheryl Wade 2000
"Hose," "Cards," & "Water Balloons" Sean Ehringer Mark Conly 2003
Kiss My Wheels Miguel Grunstein & Dale Kruzic Miguel Grunstein & Dale Kruzic 2003
LIEBE PERLA (Dear Perla) Shahar Rozen Edna & Elinor Kowarsky, Eden Productions 2004
Pelswick: DRAW Nelvana 2001
The Power of 504 Dan Veltri 1998
Raymond's Portrait Donald Young Donald Young 1999
Wood Diary David Edwin Meyers David Edwin Meyers 2006
Youth Speaks segment from KQED's series SPARK Howard Shack & the Bay Area Video Coalition 2005

Source:[11]

The Dissies

In 2013, Superfest presented a special event. This event was to highlight films where disability had been mocked or portrayed in an insensitive manner.[13] These types of films where disability is mocked are referred to as disability snub films.[14] The "Dissies" mirror the Razzies, where the award given is not an honor at all. Each year, a new "Dissie" is awarded from films nominated by the community. Mock "Dissie" awards are given each year to disability snub films.[6]

The Dissies
Worst portrayal of a disability by a nondisabled actor So sweet (that they’re not)
The Most Amazing Miracle The Most Tragic
The Worst Disabled Villain Crips Gone Wild!
Hey – only we can laugh at that!

Source:[15]

Award winners

Contents

1998 – 1999 – 2000 – 2001 – 2002 – 2003 – 2004 – 2005 – 2006 – 2007 – 2008 – 2010 – 2011 – 2012– 2013– 2014– 2015– 2016

1998

Source:[16]

1999

Source:[17]

2000

Source:[18]

2001

Source:[19]

2002

Source:[20]

2003

Source:[21]

2004

Source:[22]

2005

Source:[23]

2006

Source:[24]

2007

Source:[25]

2008

Source:[26]

2010

Source:[26]

2011

Source:[26]

2014

Source:[26]

2015

Source:[26]

Directors

Pamela Walker led the film festival efforts from 1998 to 2001, after which, Liane Yasumoto took over operations.[3][4] Catherine Kudlick, the director of the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University, and Bryan Bashin, CEO of LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, joined together to direct Superfest starting in 2012.[3][4][1]

Since 2012, when the Longmore Institute on Disability and LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired have directed Superfest, there has been a film festival each year, and the festivals have sold out each time.[1]

Growth of the festival

Superfest now attracts over 300 attendees during the festival's two-day event.[4] Film makers from both beginning and established backgrounds showcase their projects at Superfest. Film makers have debuted their films at Superfest and then gone on to receive broader distribution opportunities and further success.[4][27] The film creators have expressed having Superfest as an opportunity to showcase their work is affirming.[28]

In 2016, there were 119 film submissions for Superfest.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Toffolo, Matthew. "Interview with Festival Coordinator Emily Smith Beitiks (Superfest: International Disability Film Festival)". Festival Reviews. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Aguilar, Rose; Flynn, Laura (19 October 2016). "Your Call: Superfest, the world's longest running disability film festival". kalw.org/. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Farrell, Jonathan. "Op-Ed: Audio Describer donates her voice to help those with disabilities". Digital Journal. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Farrell, Jonathan. "Op-Ed: 'Marvelous' Superfest event highlighted disability with 52 films". Digital Journal. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Farrell, Jonathan. "Op-Ed: Films as far away as Kazakstan will premiere at Superfest". Digital Journal. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. 1 2 Deveras, Reuben. "Comedic 'Superfest' discusses disability portrayal in film". Golden Gate Xpress. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  7. 1 2 Ghenis, Alex. "Superfest International Disability Film Festival Celebrates 30 Years". New Mobility: Life beyond wheels. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  8. ↑ Hayes, Michael T.; Black, Rhonda S. (2003). "Troubling Signs: Disability, Hollywood Movies and the Construction of a Discourse of Pity". Disability Studies Quarterly. 23 (2): 114. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Dahl, Marilyn (1993). "The Role of the Media in Promoting Images of Disability- Disability as Metaphor: The Evil Crip". Canadian Journal of Communication. 18 (1). Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 Hauder, Jacqueline. "Superfest Film Festival challenges media perceptions of people with disabilities". Golden Gate Press. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Descriptions of Superfest Classics". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  12. ↑ Smith, Gar. "Movies in the Margin: The Disability Film Festival, the UN Film Festival, and Films on Fracking". The Berkeley Daily Planet. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  13. ↑ Patterson, James. "Film event highlights 'disses' of disabled". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  14. ↑ Cipriani, Belo. "Seeing in the Dark: Film festival celebrates disability". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  15. ↑ "The Dissies – Nominees and "Winners"". Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Superfest XVIII Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  17. ↑ "Superfest XIX Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  18. ↑ "Superfest XX Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  19. ↑ "Superfest XXI Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  20. ↑ "Superfest XXII Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "Superfest XXIIIV Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  22. ↑ "Superfest XXIV Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  23. ↑ "Superfest XXV Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  24. ↑ "Superfest XXVI Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  25. ↑ "Superfest XXVII Award Winner's List". Internet Archive: Culture! Disability! Talent!. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 "Past Award Winners". Superfest International Disability Film Festival. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  27. ↑ Erbland, Kate. "Film Acquisition Rundown: Sony Pictures Classics Grabs ‘The Comedian,’ Breaking Glass Gets ‘Sins Of Our Youth’ And More". IndieWire. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  28. ↑ Farrell, Jonathan. "Op-Ed: 'Man with the hook' in films had to step aside, says filmmaker". Digital Journal. Retrieved 27 January 2017.

Coordinates: 37°43′20″N 122°28′52″W / 37.722302°N 122.481222°W / 37.722302; -122.481222

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