Emerging Complexities: One College’s Efforts at a Film Series on Disability Association on Higher...
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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
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Transcript of Emerging Complexities: One College’s Efforts at a Film Series on Disability Association on Higher...
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:
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
