Emerging Complexities:One College’s Efforts at a

Film Series on Disability

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Session #2.6

Andy Christensen

Carleton College

Disclaimers This is anecdotal, not data driven Carleton College has not yet put on entirely

successful programming about disability using film

The presenter believes that much can be learned from shared experiences

Questions and interruptions are encouraged

How We Got Here Began job three years ago

“This Is My Story” Stories of varying quality and length

Very homogeneous group Very personalized and individualized A lot to ask of students Not intellectually rigorous

Fine. Come up with something better.

Why Show a Film? As disability bias is about perception, film

provides a unique window on the experience. “Showing” rather than “telling” “Temple Grandin” Quick series of related visual

images Film can be an efficient and social way of

conveying information More in-depth than individual testimonials

Discrete activity that supervisors can appreciate

Students like film

The Objective

Film is a social medium and disability is a social construct

No single film will adequately convey the disability experience

Provides context for your own thinking and procedures on your campus

How Often Should We Sponsor Disability-Related Activities on Campus? Fewer events, but really make them count Once a year Only need to come up with four events, as

student body will have changed over entirely by the fifth year

Related: Should programming coincide with designated “Awareness” weeks or months?

Campus Partnerships Cinema and Media Studies (CAMS) is an

Academic Department at Carleton Student Wellness Advocates (SWAs) promote

a variety of wellness programming on campus throughout the year

Words We Liked… Respectful Honest Complex Messy Real

Film #1: Who would go to a disability movie? A “disability movie” or a “movie with

disability”? Brand new movie v. Casting an old favorite in

a new light Food: If you serve it, they will come

Finding Nemo Everyone has seen it and loved it Not typically thought of as a movie about

disability Nemo’s fin Dori’s memory issues

Part of full characters Parental attitudes toward disability Matter of fact

Pro’s and Cons Big turnout People liked the film and the food How much impact was had on thinking about

disability?

Film #2: What are we trying to say about disability? People with disabilities have the same wants

and desires as people without disabilities

Being a happy and healthy person with a disability doesn’t depend on finishing first

“Thicker Than Water”

Tony, an 11-year-old boy Loves to play ice hockey Has hemophilia Playing last year before checking is

allowed

“Thicker Than Water”

Family finds a way to honor his desire Toughest thing for a parent to do is watch their

son or daughter put themselves at risk Movie models regular ambitions of person with a

disability AND parents trying to make their kid feel as much like any other kid as possible

Words We Liked (reprise)

Respectful Honest Complex Messy Real

The Event

Flew filmmaker in for discussion Reserved state-of-the-art theater A fraction of the turnout that we had for Nemo

Ideas for the Future We like our message; more students need to

hear it Is this an educational activity or a social

activity? Should students be involved in selecting the

movie?

What kind of programming is the best fit for your campus?

Other films to think about The Best Years of Our Lives

Three hour movie from the 1940’s about veterans returning from World War II

Murderball People with disabilities can be as obsessive about

sports and as horny as everyone else

There’s Something About Mary Many images of disability in the film, but how

progressive are they?

About “Thicker Than Water” 2009 72 minutes www.thickerthanwater-movie.com Director: Bradley Rappa (email:

filmguy24@mac.com)

The Big Picture Know your campus Build partnerships Challenge your

students Film is social,

disability is social, decisions about film and disability should be social Deliberations can be

as beneficial as the actual screening

Questions and Comments

Andy Christensen

anchrist@carleton.edu