Life Lessons: Four Shorts

The documentaries and narratives in this program spotlight some of the struggles and challenges the disabled and neurodivergent communities face, such as workplace discrimination, micro-aggressions, ableism, mental health, and late diagnosis. Rather than solely focusing on tragedy, these four shorts emphasize the individual and collective work that can be done to improve the lives of those in these communities, along with the importance of both acceptance from others and self-acceptance. Followed by a discussion with Violet Gallo, Matthew Baltar, and Carley Marissa Dummitt.

Unbreakable
Dir. Alex Astrella. 2023, 16 mins. Mixing found footage with interviews, Unbreakable shares the true story of an orthopedic surgeon who, through faith and perseverance, pushed through barriers based on her gender, ethnicity, and disability. New York premiere. Content warning: discrimination

Glitter
Dirs. Violet Gallo & Maya Velazquez. 2023, 15 mins. With Mandy Margot, Evie, Caroline Pastilha, Carly Gendell. A nerdy autistic teen throws a Halloween party in hopes of reconnecting with an old friend, only to be met with micro-aggressions from their guests who carry ableist bias. They soon must make a choice: rekindle a broken friendship or embrace their true self. A Reel Works film. Content warning: bullying

Surviving the Spectrum  
Dir. Carley Marissa Dummitt. 2024, 29 mins. Surviving the Spectrum explores the mental health struggles of autistic people in Oklahoma, highlighting the need for more research and advocacy. The filmmaker’s firsthand and secondhand accounts, autistic people across age and gender, a mother who lost her autistic son, and a psychiatrist emphasize the importance of awareness and acceptance. World premiere. Content warning: bullying, suicide, and suicidal ideation 

Late-Diagnosed  (pictured above)
Dir. Matthew Baltar. 2025, 4 mins. Matt often didn’t recognize himself in photos and never really understood why—until one day his loss of hearing helped him see more clearly. With design and animation by Chanjue Yu and sound design and mixing by Libby Lussenhop, this educational video breaks down what living with auditory processing disorder can feel like, as well as the complicated feelings that come with this and other diagnoses.  

Free with RSVP.

Accessibility Information: 

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 Redstone Theater.  

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 Redstone theater, there is space for wheelchairs near the entrance and at the back of the theater. 

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

Sensory Relief Space and Sensory Kits: There will be a quiet sensory friendly space for anyone who needs to decompress, located on the first floor. At the Admissions Desk, ask for our sensory kits which include ear buds, stress balls, and fidget toys. 

If you have any questions, please contact Tiffany Joy Butler by emailing [email protected] or calling 718-777-6851.