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Short
Films

11:00-3:30
1st floor Dance Studio

JMAXX and The Universal Language (19 min)
Directed by Ryan Mayers

An image picturing the red silhouette of a dancer bent slightly backward with their legs apart, presents the short documentary by Ryan Mayers called "JMAXX and the universal language." The silhouette is surrounded by film awards, and at the top of the image are the phrases "Autism and his challenge" and "dance is his inspiration."

Jarell is teenager with autism who has learned to use hip-hop dance as a means to communicate his true self to the world.

A Critter Fable (7 min)
by Grace Fisher

A young girl holding a colorful butterfly painting stands in a room and is surrounded by logos of film and merit awards. Above her are the words "A critter fable."

"We have a choice to be held captive by our past expectations or we can be pioneers and embrace new possibilities." - Grace Fisher

“A Critter Fable” has been widely acclaimed in film festivals internationally, including wins for “best score” and “most inspirational” at Los Angeles Film Shorts 2021.

Grace Fisher was Classically trained as a Pianist and Cellist, she also excelled on guitar. Following Grace’s illness, she discovered a penchant for composition and creative avenues for musical expression including animation and multi-trac recording.

Just Ask!

written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

pictures by award-winning Illustrator Rafael Lopez.

An illustrated page from the book "Just Ask!" by Sonia Sotomayor pictures a young boy in a striped blue shirt and multi-colored benie holding a yellow flower in a brown flower pot and looking at a squirl with his arm extended toward it. The Squirl, seated on the branch of a leafy tree, it holding an acorn out to the boy.

Children with all different abilities come together to plant a beautiful garden. This story means a lot to the author and illustrator because Justice Sotomayor is a Type I diabetic, and Rafael Lopez’s son has autism. Justice Sotomayor was motivated to write this book because people made negative assumptions about her when they saw her treating her condition, and she knows that artistic expression has the power to change minds and improve lives.

A Memory Of Joy (5 min)

Liz Sung Productions

Choreography/concept by Robby Lee Williams

a latina women with a red flower in her hair painting. there is a person in a wheelchair and a person standing facing each other in the background.

A joyful and poignant memory meaningfully experienced through art and movement.

Push, Pull, Entangle (4 min)

​presented by MOMENTA Dance Company
Choreographed by Connor Cornelius
Directed by Sarah Najera

Filmed and edited by Joe Kreml

Music by Patrick Watson.

Two dancers, the one on the left wearing a white dress with black poka dots and the other on the right wearing a white shirt with black poka dots and three large black buttons, are pictured leaning against each other. The dancer on the left is seated on the back of a chair and the other is in a wheelchair.
photo by Joe Kreml

A new release from MOMENTA Dance Company! This dramatization of a duet in disagreement explores expression and manipulation as with each statement they push and pull one another, in marionette fashion, as they navigate the issue at hand represented by a table.

Lost In The Woods (2:24 min)

Gaelynn Lea

Gaelynn Lea is pictured looking into the camera. On their left cheek and under their right eye are pink strips of a glittering material, and they have short, light pink hair.

Gaelynn Lea won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, and not long after she hit the road with her husband Paul. So far she has toured in 45 states and 9 countries, captivating audiences around the world with her unique mix of haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Gaelynn Lea has appeared in several major festivals over the years, including SXSW, Winnipeg Folk Festival, and Reykjavik Arts Festival. She has opened for well-known bands such as Wilco, The Decemberists, LOW, The Jayhawks, and the industrial rock supergroup Pigface.

ReinventAbility (1.5 min)

ReinventAbility enlightens perceptions of disability and inspires joy for all of us who seek a more universally accessible and inclusive future.

Logo for ReinventAbility
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