April's disTHIS! selections dare to traverse the sometimes treacherous terrain between disability and comedy. This triple threat unflinchingly and gloriously challenges the most taboo of subjects, laughing at people with disabilities, like you’ve never seen it done before -- on disabled people’s terms.

As we celebrate our 1st year of genre-breaking cinematic monthly shenannigans at the disTHIS! Film Series, we give you permission to, "Go ahead, laugh! We know you want to..."

About the films:

• Special People: A group of street smart wheelchair-using teens are asked to climb a mountain – literally – to realize a pretentious director's patronizing notion about their “life struggles” in Justin Edgar's hilarious Special People.  The kids brilliantly foil his scheme, cracking funny bones and obliterating stereotypes along the way. (13 minutes)
  
• I’m Spazticus: Back by popular demand! Jamie O’Leary’s gloriously politically incorrect and wickedly funny, this hybrid of MTV’s "Punk'd" and “Candid Camera” features real live disabled people pranking an unsuspecting public on the streets of London. Utterly fresh and deliciously rude, "Spazticus" was an instant hit at the disTHIS! sneak preview party and at our previous screening with the Visible Theatre.  We're tickled to give “Spazticus” it's proper, official disTHIS! premiere. (24 minutes)
  
• Abnormally Funny People: Five performers with various disabilities (and a token able-bodied comic) take the stage at the renowned and unforgiving Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Abnormally Funny People. Features Liz Carr (from the OUCH! podcast) a wheelchair user, a deaf bloke named Steve Day, two short-statured people - Tanyalee Davis and Simon Minty, and Chris McCausland, a blind fellow. Oh, plus that able-bodied guy, Steve Best. All inspiring, heroic (and occasionally tragic) in their own right. See them before they get their own sitcoms, become mainstream, rich & lazy. (45 minutes)

Our ever-popular, occassionally raccous audience discussion will follow the screening. All disTHIS! movies, talkback sessions and related events are open to the public. $5 Suggested donation. There will be ASL interpretation provided at the post-screening discussion.  Space is wheelchair accessible. Snacks are provided and there is a cash bar for drinks, but space is limited!  Be sure to call 212.251.4092 or email: Lawrence@dnnyc.net to reserve YOUR seat.

About us: The disTHIS! Film Series is a project of the Disabilities Network of NYC and is hosted by ConnecTV. We are made possible by your donations and, in part, the generous support of The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.  On the first Wednesday of the month, every month, we showcase cutting edge independent and international short, documentary and feature films with disability themes beyond clichés that audiences members are unlikely to see elsewhere.  Movies screened as a part of disTHIS! are always provocative; never quite what audiences expect. A magical, mystical place where plot pulverizes pity, character trumps charity and direction and dialogue beat out diagnosis.  The disTHIS! Film Series: No handkerchief necessary, no heroism required.  This is disability through a whole new lens.

 

DID WE MENTION IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!!!  Join Us! There'll Be Food, Fun & Sparkling Wine A-plenty!

 

For more information and to sign up for regular email updates, please visit: http://disthis.org 

 

Be sure to friend us on MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/disthisfilmseries