Superfest Showcase at Berkeley Public Library

Saturday, August 18, 2018, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Photo of man in superhero costume cutting a young man's hair outdoors
For more than 30 years, this annual festival in San Francisco and Berkeley has celebrated cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability in all its diverse, complex and engaging facets. Free.
Location: 
Berkeley Public Library, Claremont Branch, 2940 Benvenue Avenue, Berkeley
Directions: 
Sponsor: 
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability
Contact: 
Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability
Phone: 
415-405-3528
Event extras: 

Program

  • Chief (Documentary short, U.S., 2016). This reverent ode to the service dog tells the story of German immigrant Sonja Ohldag, who is diagnosed with a seizure disorder after moving to the U.S. in 1999. Unable to afford a service animal from an organization, Sonja trains her dogs herself and takes a chance on Chief, who is not your average service dog. Directed by Amir Jaffer.
  • The Barber of Augusta (Documentary short, Canada, 2016). Toronto native Matthew Genser goes to great lengths to find his unexpected superpower: cutting hair. Like all superheroes, he has a dark side; but in his costume, he’s invincible. Put on your cape and get lined up! Directed by Michèle Hozer.
  • On Beat (Documentary short, U.S., 2015). This documentary short follows the lives of a deaf couple with hearing children and the unexpected outlet that brings their family closer together. Directed by Cheng Zhang and Reid Davenport.
  • Rhizophora (Documentary short, Germany, 2015). Forty years after the Vietnam War, the toxic remnants of Agent Orange have not faded. In this dreamlike meditation on the impact of war and the resilience of humanity, Rhizophora follows 11 disabled Vietnamese youth on a whimsical, poignant and whirling journey through a day in their lives. Directed by Julia Metzger-Traber and Davide De Lillis.
  • Awake (Comedy short, England, 2015). Anna, a woman living with multiple sclerosis, is visited by Doreen, a door-to-door proselytizer who makes herself at home and stays the day, slowly defrosting her non-welcome. Together they walk in the park, bake a chocolate cake, and watch an Ingmar Bergman film. Directed by Michael Achtman.

Links

Photo: Matthew Genser (left) cuts hair in The Barber of Augusta.