Marvels of Media Films

With filmmakers Carrie Hawks, Jackson Tucker-Meyer, Alba Enid García Rivas, and Julio Garay in person, moderated by Miranda Lee

In honor of the Marvels of Media Awards, we are pleased to present a selection of extraordinary, thoughtful short films and excerpts from features that master the crafts of animation, comedy, documentary, and drama created by media-makers on the autistic spectrum. Exploring real and imagined worlds, each is unique and delves into stories of foxes, musicians, wrestlers, ancestors and gamers. The complete program runs 83 mins.

Recommended for ages 13+

black enuf*
Dir. Carrie Hawks. 2016, 22 mins. Directed, written, and animated by Carrie Hawks, this inventive short documentary explores queer black identity and self acceptance. Hawks combines drawings, cutouts, watercolor painting, and interviews with their family and friends. Carrie Hawks’s black enuf* humorously opens up the conversation on being a queer oddball. 

The Father of Rodents
Dir. Bryn Chainey. 2021, 14 mins. In this lively documentary, director Bryn Chainey creates a colorful portrait of the kinship and bravado in the performative world of indie wrestling in Australia. Through interviews and observational footage, Chainey showcases the personalities and quirks of the dedicated wrestlers. He focuses most on gold spandex-wearing Rat Daddy, a unique character who, ironically, is afraid of public speaking.

Satan Cured My Autism
Dir. Jackson Tucker-Meyer. 2022, 20 mins. Written, directed by, and starring Jackson Tucker-Meyer, this eccentric comedy spoofs “inspiration porn” documentaries on autism. The film experiments with cinematic structure through subtitled subtext, punky production techniques, and director’s commentary. Tucker-Meyer plays two duplicated sons, a mother, and an expert on autism. Satan Cured My Autism is about the celebration of nonconformity and the acceptance of autistic identity.

Dak’ Toká Taíno / I Am Taíno / Yo Soy Taíno
Dir. Alba Enid García Rivas. 2019, 13 mins. After the disaster of Hurricane María, Marabelí fears what the future may hold. She seeks comfort from her grandmother, Abuela Yaya, who shares stories of resilient indigenous ancestors. This puppet-filled short film was executive produced by Heather Henson and Ibex Puppetry. Wife and husband team García Rivas and Garay created the film to honor the strength of their Taíno ancestors and share hope for Puerto Rico’s future.

Cloud Boy: An Autistic Journey
Dir. Kieran Firth-Bernard. 2021, 3 mins. Kieran Firth-Bernard created the character of Cloud Boy, which began as a social media avatar, to share his experiences as an autistic person. Using metaphor and a vivid color palette, Firth-Bernard illustrates what it’s like to be autistic. Firth-Bernard has created a thoughtful, beautifully crafted animation, a mixture of surrealism and semi-autobiography.

Ignies et Glacies
Dir. Ivette Valencia Franco. 2021, 1 min. Ivette Valencia Franco wrote, directed, and animated this charming short about two foxes who represent two different elements: ice and fire. At first, they feel alone in the world; then they meet and form a growing friendship. 

Las-New: A Fallout Snow Globe Road Trip
Dir. Maxwell James Scheller. 2021, 5 mins. Inspired by the popular video game Fallout: New Vegas, Maxwell James Scheller directed a feature-length documentary about his trip with his parents to Las Vegas, where he created and placed snowglobes in locations similar to the game. As a performative quest, this documentary spotlights the passions of fan culture. Excerpts.

Sanctuary Dream
Dir. Grant Carsten. 2018, 70 mins. (5 mins of excerpts to be shown). Featuring an immersive music composition by director-writer Grant Carsten, this heart-wrenching drama follows Faisal Ost (Traven Thomas), an autistic boy who struggles to cope with an abusive father and brother. With expressive cinematography and color, Carsten’s feature film shares the confusions and discomforts of being autistic. 

The Marvels of Media Awards at Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) is the very first media awards ceremony, film festival, and exhibit to celebrate media-makers on the autism spectrum. In March 2022, MoMI will present an awards ceremony and a free public film festival. An accompanying media exhibit will share the artistry of Marvel’s nominees, reflecting the diversity of media-making through the lens of autism.

Free with RSVP. To request a ticket, please complete this form.

Accessibility Information:

Location: Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, NY 11106, and the film screening will happen in the Bartos Screening Room, which is on the first floor, towards the left side of the large staircase.) 

Transportation by subway: Closest subway stations are the R/M at Steinway Street and N/W at 36 Ave. Please check with the MTA for any service changes, especially on weekends. For other ways of transportation, please see this page. 

Wheelchair Access: The Museum is fully accessible by wheelchair. In the Bartos Screening Room, there is space for wheelchairs at the back of the theater. 

Assistive Listening: Please inform us if you need an assistive listening device. When you arrive at the Museum, to receive an assistive listening device, you can ask for this device at the Admissions Desk. 

Captions and CART: The film screening will have open captions and CART will be provided.