Marvels of Media Films

MoMI presents short films and excerpts of feature films and television series created by talented autistic media-makers who have been honored for Marvels of Media Awards. This program includes heart-warming films and videos, as well as thoughtful films tackling ableism, grief, mental health, and human connection. This screening is followed by a Q&A discussion moderated by Marvels of Media organizer Miranda Lee with filmmakers Mary Rhymer (Tape Over), Samara Huckvale (Them), Carrie Hawks (Inner Wound Real), and Cody Fordham (Child of Témoin).

Free with RSVP. Click here to reserve tickets. 

Program features:

Spectrum League 
Dirs. Jason Weissbrod, Dominique Brown. U.S. 2022, 5 mins. In this collaborative short created by Spectrum Laboratory, a band of superheroes must stop the Minister of Darkness from banning color from the Land of Spectrum.  

A Day in the Life of a Netflix Actor  
Dir. Chloe Hayden. U.S. 2022, 4 mins. In this excerpt from the 23-minute short A Day in the Life of a Netflix Actor, actress Chloe Hayden, who debuted in the Netflix teen drama Heartbreak High, gives her viewers a behind-the-scenes rundown of what it’s like to prepare for a shoot.

Tape Over
Dir. Mary Rhymer. U.S. 2022, 4 mins. Using archival home videos and recently filmed footage, Tape Over is an experimental essay film that emulates the memory-inducing experience of walking through one’s childhood home for the last time. This is an excerpt from the complete 52-minute film. 

Grief Is a Spectrum Too
Dir. Scott Sackett, with Andrew Turney, Craig Hills, Dean Julien, Dylan Carbonell, Liam Brosnan, Sam Hardin, Shad Wilde, Stephen Storti, Veronica Dolcich, Adam Schuering, Jacob Lenard, Zachary Warren, and Sarah Barnes from Exceptional Minds. U.S. 2022, 6 mins. Narrated by 2023 Marvels of Media Awardee Jorge R. Gutiérrez and featuring interviews and animation from the talented students of Exceptional Minds, Grief Is a Spectrum Too explores the spectrum of loss and grief. Content warning: mention of death. 

Them
Dir. Samara Huckvale. U.S. 2022, 12 mins. This narrative short follows Ira, a queer, black teen (played by Aisha Robinson) who fears rejection and seeks acceptance while hanging out with a group of friends.

LISTEN  
Dirs. Jordyn Zimmerman, Tania Melnyczuk. U.S. 2021, 5 mins. A short film made by and with nonspeaking autistic people with CommunicationFirst, LISTEN sheds light on this underestimated portion of the autism community. It covers ableism and abuses non-speaking autistic people are forced to endure, as well as the capabilities and strengths they possess. Content warning: mention of ableism and shock therapy.

Inner Wound Real
Dir. Carrie Hawks. U.S. 2022, 14 mins. Animated by three animators in three different styles, Inner Wound Real follows the narratives of BIPOC individuals who discover paths to healing from self-injury. Content warning: self-harm.

Child of Témoin
Dir. Cody Fordham. Australia. 2022, 37 mins. This comical animated short is set in Planet Témoin, where its habitats have been captured by a species known as “Humans.” A mother and daughter spirit hope to resolve the conflict through lethal methods. Content warning: violence.

Time/Space Reflections
Dirs. Alba Garcia, Julio Garay. U.S. 2015, 8 mins. Time/Space Reflections is a sci-fi fantasy animation about an inventor in the future. The inventor creates a Time/Space Portal to find her twin sister, yet crossing the portal might be deadly. Content warning: issues concerning death.