International VSA Festival highlights

"What is disability?"

Last fall, VSA, the international organization on arts and disability once known as Very Special Arts, invited artists around the world to answer that question. 

Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The festival's opening program features actress Marlee Matlin, singer Patti LaBelle and the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe.

More than 1,200 responses came in from more than 50 countries and in all creative forms: painting, drawing, collage, fabric art, poetry, musical composition. The responses will be on display next week in the Kennedy Center Hall of States as part of the week-long International VSA Festival, programming that explores the nature and creativity of what it means to be disabled -- and even whether "disabled" is the appropriate term.
"The diversity within disability is amazing," says VSA President Soula Antoniou. "Internationally there are 650 million people with disabilities around the world. . . . When you try to contextualize it in terms of physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities, mental-health issues, you really gain a sense of the enormity and complexity of disability."
VSA aims to erase labels -- disabled, special, challenged, handicapped -- to focus on talent, artistry and inclusiveness. And the festival's more than 50 performances and exhibits, Antoniou says, offer something for everyone. Highlights include:
Monday at 6 p.m., Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. The members of Australia's Rudely Interrupted indie-rock band have a range of physical and intellectual disabilities.
Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., DC Improv. Josh Blue has cerebral palsy, but that doesn't mean he can't laugh about it. The "Last Comic Standing" winner is joined by Brett Leake and Kathy Buckley. Age 18 and older.
Thursday at 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., Smithsonian Discovery Theater. Uganda Deaf Silent Theatre's "The Magic Seeds," a folk tale that is perfect for families.
Sunday through June 20, Kennedy Center. Artist Dale Chihuly will fill the center's front reflecting pool with spears of glass, while other artwork takes over the halls and walls.
For a complete schedule, visit http://www.vsarts.org.

DC Caribbean Filmfest and International Disability Film Festival at AFI Silver

Two film festivals kick off this week at the AFI Silver Theatre. The 10th annual DC Caribbean Filmfest, which runs Friday through Sunday, celebrates Caribbean American Heritage Month. Movies include "On the Verge of a Fever," John L'Ecuyer's 2004 film about a Haitian teenager who gets caught up in political intrigue and hides out in a brothel (Friday at 7 p.m.). The International Disability Film Festival begins Monday with "See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary," which covers a year in the lives of deaf comics and singers (7 and 9:30 p.m.). A discussion with director Hilari Scarl follows. The festival runs through June 11 and is part of the International VSA Festival.

See Web site for complete schedules. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720. http://www.afi.com/silver. Caribbean Filmfest: $10, seniors $9. Disability Film Festival: Free; tickets available at the theater the day of each show starting at 1:30 p.m.

Student films focus on disabilities

Students at Highlander Way Middle School in Howell are preparing to walk the red carpet next week in support of disability awareness. fter a year of creating films related to the topic, the students will participate in the school's annual Academy Awards Night on Wednesday in which they will receive awards for their productions and host a silent auction to benefit Livingston County Special Olympics.

More than 50 films have been nominated for awards. The movies were made by students in the school's technology classes who researched a variety of disabilities, wrote scripts, and shot and edited their work.

"They take a lot away from this," said Carole Colburn, the school's film class teacher and coordinator of the awards event. "They learn about being a part of a team, they learn about their specific topic and they learn about the movie-making process."

She added: "Most importantly, it helps them understand that we're all created equal and brings awareness to what students with disabilities go through."

Throughout the school year, the middle schoolers worked in groups to produce short films on a variety of topics, including autism, depression, Down syndrome, eating disorders and several other conditions. The disability-awareness theme was selected by Colburn, who has taught the school's "Lights, Camera, Screen Education" class to eighth-graders for the past three years.

As part of the course, student Natalie Dunn's group produced a five-minute film on dwarfism. The movie was nominated for an award in the best editing category.

"The main focus of our video is that people with dwarfism are just like us," Dunn said. "We learned a lot, and I guess in more ways than one we are trying to stand up for the little guy."

Dunn's classmate Alyssa Franc worked on a film about diabetes. The production was nominated for an award in the best music and best film categories.

The film includes a variety of students telling what they believe diabetes is while providing information about the condition. The school's choir is also featured in the film.

"I liked working with my group, filming and acting," Franc said. "(The film) really helps to tell everybody that we all have differences but are equal."

She added: "We want everyone to know that disabilities are hard to deal with, and it's not fair to judge people for how they are."

For more information or to attend the Academy Awards Night, contact Colburn atcolburnc@howellschools.com.