2005 SPROUT FILM FESTIVAL
Schedule: Saturday
FIRST ANIMATIONS
3 min./animation/2004/UK
A British artist with Down Syndrome created these playful drawings and stories, which his father animated. 1st Animations includes 4 of these unique collaborations.
KARATE RULER
15 min./narrative/1999/USA
The year is 3168 and planet Earth is being threatened by the evil Natas, from planet Olvidan. Hope for a peaceful future lies in the hands of the Karate Ruler. All actors in this sci-fi thriller have developmental disabilities.
OUT OF OUR MINDS
42 min./documentary/2000/Australia
An intimate character study, a comedic portrait and above all, an uplifting story of young actors pursuing their dream, this documentary follows an Australian theater group of individuals with intellectual disabilities. We are introduced to three full-time actors and writers with this theater group who share their talent, humor, personal hardships and desire for self-expression.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
3 min./documentary/2004/USA
In this short video, we meet a boy whose little sister has Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Through a poem he wrote, we see the strong bond that exists between these siblings.
MY CLASSIC LIFE AS AN ARTIST
21 min./documentary/2004/USA
“It’s better for growing vegetables than people,” says autistic artist Larry Bissonnette, of his years living in an institution. Filled with humorous and poignant assessments of his life, this documentary also explores the complexities of expression as Larry moves between speech, typing and painting.
THE OFFICE THAT OVERSLEPT
6 min./animation/2004/UK
What if the building you work in was not there when you turned up one morning? That is what happens in this fanciful animation, drawn by a British artist with Down Syndrome and animated by his father.
WYSIWYG
10 min./performance/2004/UK
Three impressive performance pieces by adults with developmental disabilities fuse exhilarating dance, cutting edge technology and film. The result is an artistic multi-media achievement.
KING OF CAMP
42 min./narrative/2005/USA
A tale about Viru, a self-proclaimed music buff, and how he survived his first day at summer camp. This video features acting and musical performances by people with developmental disabilities.
OUTSIDE/INSIDE
7 min./documentary/2002/USA
This innovative short film invites us into the world of a young man who has autism and muteness. In his own words, with the creative use of digitation, a communication board and the camera, we are offered an intimate glimpse into the challenges and frustrations of his everyday life.
READY OR NOT
16 min./documentary/2004/USA
This documentary follows three New York City high school seniors with different disabilities as they graduate and attempt to make plans for their future.
JOHN & MICHAEL
11 min./animation/2004/Canada
An emotionally moving love story about two men with Down Syndrome, this animation explores themes of love, loss and healing. Creatively given life through a unique process of back-lighting clay on glass, the shimmering result is what the director describes as “stained glass in motion”.
FRAGILE X FAMILY
11 min./documentary/2004/USA
While it is second most common cause of mental retardation, Fragile X Syndrome still remains a largely unknown phenomenon. This is a gripping look inside one family where all members are affected by this inherited chromosomal disorder.
SOUVENIR
21 min./narrative/2001/Iran
A father and his son with Down Syndrome navigate life’s difficulties on the streets of Tehran, tackling unemployment, prejudice and homelessness. This poignant story unfolds with both tenderness and brutality as we see the complexity of surviving life’s challenges on the Iranian-Afghan border.
AUTISM IS A WORLD
40 min./documentary/2004/USA
Sue Rubin has autism. With the help of a facilitated communication board, she takes the audience inside, on an extraordinary journey to explain what she feels and does. This Academy Award nominated documentary offers a fascinating view of autism as it has rarely been seen – from the inside out.
Schedule: Sunday
DREAMS
4 min./documentary/2004/USA
This fun, inspirational short video presents children and adults with Down Syndrome, talking about their dreams and triumphs.
YOURS TO KEEP
72 min./documentary/1989/USA
How does a recent high school graduate with Down Syndrome end up starring in a Hollywood movie with Demi Moore? This entertaining documentary shows us the answer to this question and follows this extraordinary young man through his challenges and triumphs.
DUO
25 min./narrative/1996/USA
We are reminded of the emotional difficulties of adolescent love when a young boy with Down Syndrome develops a crush on a beautiful violinist in his school. To win her affections, he draws her pictures and starts learning piano, dreaming of being her accompanist. Will she reciprocate?
FIRST ANIMATIONS
3 min./animation/2004/UK
A British artist with Down Syndrome created these playful drawings and stories, which his father animated. First Animations includes four of these unique collaborations.
BORDERLINE
78 min./documentary/2005/USA
Did Eunice Baker, a borderline mentally retarded woman really commit the murder of the child she was babysitting? By delving into her troubled background, this film explores he complexities leading up to that tragic night. This compelling documentary will stir your emotions while raising serious questions about whether our legal system is able to protect the rights of mentally disabled people.
WHO IS DISABLED?
8 min./documentary/2005/Ghana
Challenging our notion of “handicapped”, this short film from Ghana illuminates the stigmas and prejudices parents face when raising a child with disabilities in this West African country.
JOHN & MICHAEL
11 min./animation/2004/Canada
An emotionally moving love story about two men with Down Syndrome, this animation explores themes of love, loss and healing. Creatively given life through a unique process of back-lighting clay on glass, the shimmering result is what the director describes as “stained glass in motion”.
FRAGILE X FAMILY
11 min./documentary/2004/USA
While it is second most common cause of mental retardation, Fragile X Syndrome still remains a largely unknown phenomenon. This is a gripping look inside one family where all members are affected by this inherited chromosomal disorder.
SOUVENIR
21 min./narrative/2001/Iran
A father and his son with Down Syndrome navigate life’s difficulties on the streets of Tehran, tackling unemployment, prejudice and homelessness. This poignant story unfolds with both tenderness and brutality as we see the complexity of surviving life’s challenges on the Iranian-Afghan border.
AUTISM IS A WORLD
40 min./documentary/2004/USA
Sue Rubin has autism. With the help of a facilitated communication board, she takes the audience inside, on an extraordinary journey to explain what she feels and does. This Academy Award nominated documentary offers a fascinating view of autism as it has rarely been seen – from the inside out.
