Life Lessons: Four Shorts 

Presented by Museum of the Moving Image

Date & Time: Saturday 3/29/25 from 2:30 to 4:00 PM EST

Location: Redstone Theater, 36-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, NY 11106

About the Event: The documentaries and narratives in this program spotlight some of the struggles and challenges the disabled and neurodivergent communities face, such as workplace discrimination, micro-aggressions, ableism, mental health, and late diagnosis. Rather than solely focusing on tragedy, these four shorts emphasize the individual and collective work that can be done to improve the lives of those in these communities, along with the importance of both acceptance from others and self-acceptance. Followed by a discussion with Violet Gallo, Matthew Baltar, and Carley Marissa Dummitt.

Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Unbreakable

Dir. Alex Astrella. 2023, 16 mins. Mixing found footage with interviews, Unbreakable shares the true story of an orthopedic surgeon who, through faith and perseverance, pushed through barriers based on her gender, ethnicity, and disability. New York premiere. Content warning: discrimination

Glitter

Dirs. Violet Gallo & Maya Velazquez. 2023, 15 mins. With Mandy Margot, Evie, Caroline Pastilha, Carly Gendell. A nerdy autistic teen throws a Halloween party in hopes of reconnecting with an old friend, only to be met with micro-aggressions from their guests who carry ableist bias. They soon must make a choice: rekindle a broken friendship or embrace their true self. A Reel Works film. Content warning: bullying

Surviving the Spectrum  

Dir. Carley Marissa Dummitt. 2024, 29 mins. Surviving the Spectrum explores the mental health struggles of autistic people in Oklahoma, highlighting the need for more research and advocacy. The filmmaker’s firsthand and secondhand accounts, autistic people across age and gender, a mother who lost her autistic son, and a psychiatrist emphasize the importance of awareness and acceptance. World premiere. Content warning: bullying, suicide, and suicidal ideation 

Late-Diagnosed  (pictured above)

Dir. Matthew Baltar. 2025, 4 mins. Matt often didn’t recognize himself in photos and never really understood why—until one day his loss of hearing helped him see more clearly. With design and animation by Chanjue Yu and sound design and mixing by Libby Lussenhop, this educational video breaks down what living with auditory processing disorder can feel like, as well as the complicated feelings that come with this and other diagnoses. 

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