Bending Conventions: Six Shorts

These six inventive films offer innovative experimental film techniques, and unique storylines. These films include reflections on identity, expressive animations which take us on new journeys and other captivating stories depicting outcasts. The program features films created by autistic directors and organizations like Exceptional Minds and Spectrum Laboratory, which are dedicated to uplifting neurodivergent media-makers. Followed by a panel discussion with filmmakers Daniel Oliver Lee, Madison Cahill, Paula Hung, and Samara Huckvale about the excitement of experimenting with cinematic forms and how the filmmakers approached the making of their films.  

Free with RSVP. 

build me through the image / constrúyanme a través de la imagen 

Dir. Paula Hung. 2023, 8 mins. In Spanish with English subtitles. This experimental documentary short explores the intricacies and complexities of being transmarginal Latine, multiracial, and queer. With narration describing the experiences of a father, mother, and daughter, and visuals mixing archival film footage, this film engages and deconstructs the cinematic form in dynamic, beautiful ways while analyzing media representation. New York premiere. Content warning: racism and strobe-like effects. 

Fox Box Follies 

Dir. Daniel Oliver Lee and Steph Prizhitomsky. 2023, 4 mins. In this surrealistic, folkloric short, a fox tries to sneak his way into a boxing ring disguised as a chicken. Content warning: violence and death. 

Mean Mr. Mustache 

Dir. Madison Cahill. 2021, 4 mins. This riveting animated music video for the band PENIX features a car chase and lots of explosions.  Content warning: violence, substance use, and blood. 

The Benchwarm-Nerds! 

Dir. Jason Weissbrod. 2023, 15 mins. With Domonique Brown, Caroline Corry, Micah Stumbaugh. With music, puppetry and comedy, this delightful, quirky short follows three outcasts who meet and combine their unique talents to create the most epic sci-fi saga of all time. The Benchwarm-Nerds! was created by Spectrum Laboratory, an organization dedicated to uplifting neurodivergent media-makers. Content warning: contains bullying. 

Ocean’s 24/7 

Dir. Samara Huckvale. 2024, 3 mins. This stoner’s revenge comedy parodies heist films and the French New Wave. It centers on two twenty-something amateurs deciding to run a heist with 24 people in seven days on a local grocery store chain, Ocean’s, after a store employee publicly embarrasses them for smelling like weed. Ocean’s 24/7 features Black, autistic artists on-screen and behind the screen. World premiere. Content warning: substance use. 

Tree’s Blood 

Dir. Zion Ballard Balewa, Sarah Breiche, Nathan Dana, Miles Hawkins, Hilaria Litton, Sophia Oh, Jorge Ramirez, Christopher Rubinstein, Kayla Nataly Verdugo, Eden Wolfenson, Abigail Zamora of Reel Start. 2024, 8 mins. This skillfully constructed animation focuses on how a social media influencer realizes the importance of taking care of the environment when her search for fame quite literally puts her world at stake. This short was animated by Exceptional Minds, an academy and studio dedicated to preparing artists on the autism spectrum for careers in animation and the digital arts. The autistic media-makers who worked on this short include Kate “Kae” McSpadden, Becca David, Liam Brosnan, Christian Keithley, Sam Hardin, Craig Hills, Andrew Turney, Dylan Carbonell, C. Idd, Dean Julien, Jack Meigs, Dustin Noriyuki, Ludwig Tan, Michael Shiu, Stephen Storti, Kyle Grossart, Aaron Trost, Autumn Schneider, Shad Wilde and David Miles. Content warning: blood and violence. 

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Accessibility Information:

A sensory-friendly space is available in the Media Lab on the third floor. Sensory kits are available at the front desk. 

Location: Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, NY 11106, and the film screening will happen in the Bartos Screening Room, which is on the first floor, towards the left side of the large staircase.  

Transportation by subway: Closest subway stations are the R at Steinway Street and N/W at 36 Ave. Please check with the MTA for any service changes, especially on weekends. For other ways of transportation, please see this page.  

Wheelchair Access: The Museum is fully accessible by wheelchair. In the Bartos Screening Room, there is space for wheelchairs at the back of the theater. 

Assistive Listening with Amplified Sound: Please inform us if you need an assistive listening device with amplified sound. When you arrive at the Museum, to receive an assistive listening device, you can ask for this device at the Admissions Desk. 

Captions and American Sign Language (ASL): The film screening will have open captions and ASL interpretation for the introductions and panel discussions. 

If you have any questions, please contact Tiffany Joy Butler by emailing [email protected] or calling 718-777-6800.