The Marvels of Media Festival kicks off with a festive opening night celebration and recognizes outstanding films created by autistic media-makers with screenings, panel discussions, and media workshops. Audience members will have a chance to learn from professional filmmakers on the spectrum through media workshops and panel discussions.

The free festival is part of the Museum’s year-round Marvels of Media initiative, which showcases, celebrates, and supports autistic media-makers of all ages and skill sets. The third annual Marvels of Media Festival expands the Museum’s accessibility efforts for autistic visitors through the creation of a sensory-friendly space in the Media Lab and sensory kits, which are available at the front desk.

Schedule of Events:

6:30 p.m: Marvels of Media Festival Opening Night

Join us for the opening night celebration, including a reception, virtual reality showcase, and remarks by founder of Marvels of Media Josh Sapan and Advisory Council member and director Tony Spiridakis, and Christina Curry, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

Unique Romances is a selection of short films that explore the multitude of ways autistic people navigate dating and relationships, a theme rarely represented in film. These stories traverse a range of genres, including comedy, magical realism, and fantasy. Three of these shorts depict queer characters and romances. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with filmmakers Dani Bowman, Tal Anderson, Kory Mann and Violet Gallo moderated by filmmaker-playwright Jackson Tucker-Meyer, about telling romantic stories and queer and autistic representation in film.

Free with RSVP.

Unique Romances features the following short films:

Starcrossed Destinies (Dir. Dani Bowman. 2023, 3 mins.)
With the voices of Dani Bowman and Natalie Hutchins. In this animated short, two classmates—a human and an alien—bond over their shared passion for astronomy beneath a shimmering night sky. Bowman (Love on the Spectrum) directed and edited the film; Hutchins wrote the original story and is one of the animators who worked on the film at Danimation Entertainment, an organization dedicated to empowering autistic animators to find a career in animation. New York premiere

70/50 (Dir. Kory Mann. 2023, 11 mins.)
Kara is a queer, autistic, deeply introverted bundle of nervous energy who, after attending her first high school party, finds herself alone in a room with Haley, her long-time crush. Starring writer-director Mann, this short offers a classic coming–of–age romance from a brand-new perspective. New York premiere

Sensory & Sense-Ability (Dir. Jeremy Andrew Davis. 2023, 3 mins.)
Written and directed by, and starring Davis, Sensory & Sense-Ability delves into the inner monologue of an autistic person working his way through conversation on a first date. The dialogue combines humor with thoughts and worries that anyone can relate to, while highlighting the unique challenges autistic people can face. New York premiere. Content warning: loud, overlapping noise.

Sky and Lucia (Dir. Violet Gallo. 2022, 10 mins.)
With Stephanie Bui, Maple Leung, Matthew Courson. Created as part of the program Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, this magical realist short film centers on Sky, a shy high-school student who disappears when faced with turbulent emotional situations. In order to overcome this strange phenomenon, she must learn to stand up for herself. When Sky joins forces with Lucia, the two form a friendship, then a budding romance. Content warning: bullying.

Polyphony (Dir. Harold Hall, Jr. 2023, 5 mins.)
With Tal Anderson, Anthony Purnell. In this charming romantic comedy, Emily Martin, a twenty-something aspiring songwriter is perfectly content without a boyfriend. She loves her time by herself: watching movies and spending time with her cat. Suddenly, everything changes when she finds herself in a duet with a stranger. Polyphony stars neurodivergent actors Anderson (Atypical, As We See It) and Purnell (Wild, Wild, West Hollywood) as neighbors who form an unexpected connection through song. New York premiere

Wilmington Escaped (Dir. Carrie Hawks. 2023, 6 mins.)
This virtual reality film, screening in the Fox Amphitheater takes guests on a ghost tour, including real accounts of enslaved people traveling to other worlds around the time of the 1898 racism-fueled insurrection of Wilmington, North Carolina. Content warning: racism and death.

Location: Redstone Theater