SUPERFEST 2020 FILM SELECTIONS
Superfest 2020 occurred online Friday October 16th, Saturday October 17th, and Sunday October 18th. Read below to check out the blurbs for 2020’s films!
Friday, October 16th
Charles Curtis Blackwell stands and stares just off to the side of the camera. He is wearing layers and a hat. He has a thoughtful expression on his face.
The God Given Talent (5:35pm)
Disability Justice Award for Charles Blackwell
USA, 2018 (Feature Film, 70 min)
Blind Oakland poet, painter, playwright and teacher Charles Curtis Blackwell had a challenging upbringing in California and Mississippi. This sensitive documentary explores his current creative life rooted in loss, love, pain, and redemption.
To support the independent artists who made this film possible, visit: www.paypal.com/pools/c/8fMh2c2mi0.
Saturday, October 17th
A person hanging from a hoop. Their body is silhouetted by bright pink and blue lights.
High Flying Jade (2:05pm)
Best of Festival: Documentary
USA/Vietnam, 2019 (Documentary Short, 22 min)
Follow the true story of a bi-polar American white woman who tries to manage her unique brain chemistry by running away to join the circus in Hồ Chí Minh City.
A light skinned man with Down Syndrome is wearing a white button up shirt and dark jacket. He is holding a bird. The whole image is in black and white.
The Secret Life of Tom Lightfoot (2:27pm)
UK, 2020 (Dramatic Short, 10 min)
Tom Lightfoot works at a call center that answers anybody’s questions about absolutely anything. The talented co-workers know an awful lot, except about Tom himself, who holds secrets inside. And studying for a PhD in bird migration isn’t even the half of it.
A Japanese man sits on a rock formation and is gesturing toward the camera. He is wearing black and white flowy clothing.
ReAct (2:37pm)
Japan, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 4 min)
A self-employed Japanese wheelchair dancer born with Spina Bifida confronts the elements, natural and human in lyrical, unexpected ways.
A man is looking toward the camera. He is wearing jackets and a scarf, and has the tube of a musical instrument in his mouth. The background is blurry.
Sweet Solace (2:41pm)
France, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 10 min)
A penniless, whimsical street musician smiles when two blind passersby encounter one another, catapulting all three into his imaginary world of movies and music.
A teenage boy looks into the camera. He has brown skin and is wearing a black beanie and t-shirt.
Sign at All Times (2:51pm)
Advocacy Award
USA, 2019 (Documentary Short, 8 min)
A young skateboarder shares his journey to find pride in his Deaf identity.
A girl with light skin and short hair is lying in bed under the covers. Her sheets and room are various shades of pink and green. Her eyes are closed.
Indimenticabile (2:59pm)
Italy, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 20 min)
Luna, who has Cerebral Palsy, and Angel, a sexworker, share an unusual story of love, which challenges the cages and the judgment of others.
Sunday, October 18th
Two young women sit next to each other. The one on the left has blonde hair and is wearing a green jacket with a red shirt. She has a slight frown on her face. The one on the right has brown hair and is wearing overalls with a white shirt. She has her hand pressed to her chin and is staring intently off camera.
Verisimilitude (2:05pm)
Best of Festival: Narrative
UK, 2020 (Dramatic Short, 14 min)
A narrative short about an unemployed disabled actress who takes a job to advise an up-and-coming British film star on how to be disabled for his latest role. But will he win an award?
Two men smiling and laughing. The one on the left has dark hair and facial hair. The one on the right has grey hair, glasses, and a mustache. He is also holding a guitar.
My Grito (2:19pm)
Juror’s Choice
USA, 2018 (Documentary Short, 5 min)
A story about a young man, Cristian, and his love for mariachi music, which leads him to seek out his own grito for his communication device.
A brown garden snail sits on some plants.
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating (2:24pm)
Innovation in Craft Award
USA, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 15 min)
When a woman is bedridden by a mysterious pathogen, a forest snail unexpectedly takes up residence on her nightstand. Together, they share an intimate journey of survival and resilience in this live-action true story, adapted from the award-winning memoir of the same title.
A man sits on a patio surrounded by plants. He has light skin, brown hair and a beard. He is wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans. He is holding a watering can.
Garden Variety (2:39pm)
USA, 2018 (Dramatic Short, 5 min)
A mockumentary about a disabled person’s garden and his unwarranted admirers.
*Note: This film was invited by the Producers of Superfest and was not selected by the jury.
Barbie dolls in a dollhouse. One of the Barbies is in a wheelchair and looking at a group of other Barbies who are all huddled together in an elevator.
Wheelchair Wendy (2:44pm)
USA, 2018 (Dramatic Short, 6 min)
An eager-to-please doll in a wheelchair is placed in the perfect world of the narcissistic Barbara, and must find a way to fit in or be thrown in the trash.
A white woman stands in the snow behind a sculpture made of mobility devices. She is wearing bright colors and white spots on her face. She is smiling.
Alternative Ways of Being Human (2:50pm)
Finland, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 7 min)
Used assistive devices take on second lives in this documentary about a passionate sculptor in Finland.
A man and a woman are sitting next to each other on a dark couch. The man has dark hair and is wearing a white shirt. The woman has light hair and is wearing a black tank top. The light is tinted pink.
Single (2:57pm)
USA, 2020 (Dramatic Short, 14 min)
Kim, who was born with one arm, gets set up on a blind date. When she finally meets Jake, she quickly realizes he also has a physical disability, and she is pissed.
A Black woman is in front of a wood and metal background. She has short hair and large earrings. She is holding a microphone and looking just off camera. Her shirt has a face on it. but only the eyes are visible.
Stand Up (3:12pm)
USA, 2019 (Dramatic Short, 8 min)
For all her life, 30-year old Jazmine who uses a wheelchair has wanted to be an actress. Meeting Ruth, while navigating the tough world of stand-up comedy, she learns that accessibility isn’t just about physical space.