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Fall 2007 Film Series: “Freaks, Geeks and ‘Othered’ Physiques”
9/17/2007

2007 Film Series Poster Freaks, Geeks and "Othered" PhysiquesJoin the Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee
For the Fall 2007 Disability Film Series

“Freaks, Geeks and ‘Othered’ Physiques”

This film series calls into question popular culture representations of people who may not conform to the “typical” representation put forth by the dominant culture. Join us for food and lively discussion of each of the films in the series (dates and times below).

All films are screened at Watson Theater at 7 pm

Admission is free and open to all Syracuse University students and community members.

These events are fully accessible with captioning; film narration and transcripts of discussions. Refreshments will be provided.

September 17 : Gattaca (1997)
Vincent (Ethan Hawke) is one of the last "natural" babies born into a sterile, genetically-enhanced world, where life expectancy and disease likelihood are ascertained at birth. Myopic and due to die at 30, he has no chance of a career in a society that now discriminates against your genes, instead of your gender, race or religion. Discussion to follow.

October 1: Dance Me to My Song (1998)
Rolf de Heer’s "Dance Me to My Song" is an extraordinary Australian work written by Heather Rose, who has cerebral palsy and communicates through a computer and voice synthesizer. As the film opens, she’s at the mercy of a stupid and cruel "caregiver" who neglects and insults her. Using her motorized wheelchair and her lively intelligence, she tries to figure a way out of her dilemma. In the opening shot, the heroine seems hopeless and alien. By the end, we identify more with her than with the “normals” in the story.
Featured Presenter: Raven James, Post Doctoral Fellow, Center on Human Policy at SU

October 15: Selection of short documentary films about school inclusion.
Featured guest speaker: Jonathan Mooney, acclaimed author of “The Short Bus”

November 5: Benny and Joon (1993)
Mary Stuart Masterson stars as Joon, the mentally ill sister of Benny (Aidan Quinn), an auto mechanic, who takes care of her. The quick-witted Joon spends her days at home, painting with passion. Overprotective, Benny actually sacrifices his life for Joon; he is too close and too concerned about her. The siblings go through housekeeper after housekeeper and other domestic crises, but they somehow reach a balanced, if boring, lifestyle--for both of them. But he arrival of quirky Sam (Johnny Depp) throws their balanced lifestyle awry.

November 26: The Ringer (2005)
Pressured by a greedy uncle (Brian Cox) and a pile of debt, lovable loser Steve Barker (Knoxville) resorts to an unthinkable, contemptible, just-crazy-enough-to-work scheme. He pretends to be mentally challenged to rig the upcoming Special Olympics and bring home the gold. But when Steve's fellow competitors get wise to the con, they inspire him to rise to the greatest challenge of all: becoming a better person.
Featured Guest Speaker: Andrea Stafford – M.A. Critical Disability Studies – York University

December 3: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Meet the Hoovers, an Albuquerque clan riddled with depression, hostility, and the tattered remnants of the American Dream; despite their flakiness, they manage to pile into a VW van for a weekend trek to L.A. in order to get moppet daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Stars Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette (he’s desperately seeking to become a self-help authority) as the parents, Alan Arkin as a grandfather all too willing to give uproariously inappropriate advice to a sullen teenage grandson (Paul Dano), and a subdued Steve Carell as a jilted gay professor on the verge of suicide. 


The Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee (BCCC) is an organization consisting of Syracuse University students who are working to create and support a positive climate toward disability that values individual difference in all University settings. The BCCC takes an active role in advocating for changes in University policy and practice, including:

  • Reshaping Syracuse University's conception of disability to promote an understanding of disability as a form of diversity;
  • University recognition and funding of the Disability Studies program;
  • Creating model accommodations exemplifying the University's commitment to equality of opportunity for students with disabilities;
  • Hiring faculty and staff members with disabilities within departments across the University

For further information, please go to: http://bccc.syr.edu/  

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: The Graduate School, The LGBT Resource Center, The Facilitated Communication Institute, The School of Education, The Writing Program, The Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies and The disAbility Law Society

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