1. 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

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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?

7. 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

8. Words We Liked…  Respectful  Honest  Complex  Messy  Real

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. “Thicker Than Water”  Tony, an 11-year-old boy  Loves to play ice hockey  Has hemophilia  Playing last year before checking is allowed

14. “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

15. Words We Liked (reprise)  Respectful  Honest  Complex  Messy  Real

16. The Event  Flew filmmaker in for discussion  Reserved state-of-the-art theater  A fraction of the turnout that we had for Nemo

17. 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?

18. 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?

19. About “Thicker Than Water”  2009  72 minutes  www.thickerthanwater-movie.com  Director: Bradley Rappa (email: filmguy24@mac.com)

20. 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

21. Questions and Comments Andy Christensen anchrist@carleton.edu