And Now For A Fest....
Regular readers (if there are any) will probably know that apart from my occasional musings here I also blog about 'the films' over at the Arena of The Unwell (seriously tho' be warned as sometimes it can contain sweary words and - ulp - rudeness) and although I've posted a few film-based things here the two rarely meet.
Until last weekend that is.
You see, it was the annual Glasgow Frightfest film festival at the GFT, an event I've attended - as both a film goer and as a drawy-picture man - since it began, usually rolling home at some God forsaken time on a Sunday morning and quickly scribbling some thoughts on the film shown over at the Arena before scuttling off to bed.
But this year it was a wee bit different.
You see, quite a few of the films actually touched on - intentionally or otherwise - the issue of hidden disabilities with a couple working really well as a comment on the attitudes to Autistic folk so I thought I'd pop a few words about them here.
One such movie was Danishka Esterhazy's dystopian thriller Level 16, which tells the tale of a group of teenage - orphan - girls who reside at the Vestalis Academy where thru' years of schooling they are strictly trained to adhere to the virtues of 'femininity', obedience, humility and patience.
Failure to comply is met with brutal punishments.
Before anyone points it out, yes I'm aware that Esterhazy’s tale is really an analysis of how 'traditional' values and world views can be used to silence and control women but with its use of 'training' the girls to fit in to a society that ultimately doesn't care about anything except what they can give and the punishments (solitary confinement for one) given out for their own good (obviously) the film hit home as to how many Autistic children are treated in the education system.
Only last week I was told - at a parents evening no less - how one of my children has to be trained to 'fit in' to society and how any hiccups or non-NT behavior must be the fault of the child and in no way a reaction to stress or how people may react to them.
The girls in the film - like many Autistic people - must fit in no matter what the cost.
Luckily Level 16 ends with a glimmer of hope so maybe if we're lucky real-life may mirror the movies.
But without too much wanton violence.
Along the same lines was Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein's Freaks, which - without giving too much away - tells the story of Chloe, a 7 year old girl whose father forbids her from ever leaving the house - or from even looking outside their boarded-up windows - for fear of the people outside seeing her for what she really is.
A freak to be feared and ultimately destroyed.
Her days are spent being taught by her father how to pass for a 'normal' person in the hope that her differences aren't discovered, Chloe spends more and more time wanting to be a normal girl, playing with other children and eating ice cream from the dilapidated ice cream van that regularly stops outside her house.
Eventually building up the courage to defy her dad, Chloe escapes to join Mr. Snowcone the ice cream man on an journey where she will finally uncover the truth about her father and why he is so desperate to keep her hidden.
On the surface a real world superhero tale in the tradition of The X Men - but with untidy beards, Freaks does an amazing job of showing how Autistic folk use masking to fit in in an attempt to appear 'normal' (as NT folk would have it) - from the stares and comments encountered by Chloe in the outside world, the film is a perfect example of NT society writ large, obsessed as it is with fitting in and ultimately fearing anything different.
Trust me, it's great.
As an aside one of the most refreshing things on show was how director Perry Blackshear's mysterious mermaid movie The Rusalka handled having a mute protagonist.
Tom wears a wristband that says "I'm mute" - and amusingly "But not deaf!" on the reverse - which he shows to other characters before using his phone to talk.
Yup, no-one exclaims "I know sign language! My sister/brother/uncle is deaf!" and no meaningful subtitles....just good old fashioned - 'normal' - characters.
Fair play sir.
No doubt I'll do some full reviews as soon as more folk have gotten to see them as I'd hate to spoil them for you.
Normal rants will return soon.
Until last weekend that is.
You see, it was the annual Glasgow Frightfest film festival at the GFT, an event I've attended - as both a film goer and as a drawy-picture man - since it began, usually rolling home at some God forsaken time on a Sunday morning and quickly scribbling some thoughts on the film shown over at the Arena before scuttling off to bed.
But this year it was a wee bit different.
You see, quite a few of the films actually touched on - intentionally or otherwise - the issue of hidden disabilities with a couple working really well as a comment on the attitudes to Autistic folk so I thought I'd pop a few words about them here.
One such movie was Danishka Esterhazy's dystopian thriller Level 16, which tells the tale of a group of teenage - orphan - girls who reside at the Vestalis Academy where thru' years of schooling they are strictly trained to adhere to the virtues of 'femininity', obedience, humility and patience.
Failure to comply is met with brutal punishments.
Before anyone points it out, yes I'm aware that Esterhazy’s tale is really an analysis of how 'traditional' values and world views can be used to silence and control women but with its use of 'training' the girls to fit in to a society that ultimately doesn't care about anything except what they can give and the punishments (solitary confinement for one) given out for their own good (obviously) the film hit home as to how many Autistic children are treated in the education system.
Only last week I was told - at a parents evening no less - how one of my children has to be trained to 'fit in' to society and how any hiccups or non-NT behavior must be the fault of the child and in no way a reaction to stress or how people may react to them.
The girls in the film - like many Autistic people - must fit in no matter what the cost.
Luckily Level 16 ends with a glimmer of hope so maybe if we're lucky real-life may mirror the movies.
But without too much wanton violence.
Along the same lines was Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein's Freaks, which - without giving too much away - tells the story of Chloe, a 7 year old girl whose father forbids her from ever leaving the house - or from even looking outside their boarded-up windows - for fear of the people outside seeing her for what she really is.
A freak to be feared and ultimately destroyed.
Her days are spent being taught by her father how to pass for a 'normal' person in the hope that her differences aren't discovered, Chloe spends more and more time wanting to be a normal girl, playing with other children and eating ice cream from the dilapidated ice cream van that regularly stops outside her house.
Eventually building up the courage to defy her dad, Chloe escapes to join Mr. Snowcone the ice cream man on an journey where she will finally uncover the truth about her father and why he is so desperate to keep her hidden.
On the surface a real world superhero tale in the tradition of The X Men - but with untidy beards, Freaks does an amazing job of showing how Autistic folk use masking to fit in in an attempt to appear 'normal' (as NT folk would have it) - from the stares and comments encountered by Chloe in the outside world, the film is a perfect example of NT society writ large, obsessed as it is with fitting in and ultimately fearing anything different.
Trust me, it's great.
As an aside one of the most refreshing things on show was how director Perry Blackshear's mysterious mermaid movie The Rusalka handled having a mute protagonist.
Tom wears a wristband that says "I'm mute" - and amusingly "But not deaf!" on the reverse - which he shows to other characters before using his phone to talk.
Yup, no-one exclaims "I know sign language! My sister/brother/uncle is deaf!" and no meaningful subtitles....just good old fashioned - 'normal' - characters.
Fair play sir.
No doubt I'll do some full reviews as soon as more folk have gotten to see them as I'd hate to spoil them for you.
Normal rants will return soon.
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