Students gathered to celebrate Deaf Awareness Month with the first-ever screening of the Disability Annual Film Festival at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) on Sept. 21. The event, hosted by the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC), the Otter Cross Cultural Center (OC3) and the Student Awareness for Disability Empowerment (SADE) affinity club, featured the Academy Award-winning film, “Sound of Metal.”
This inaugural event set the tone for a new tradition on campus, dubbed the “Disability Film Festival” in celebration of Deaf Awareness Month in September.
Designed to raise awareness about diverse disability experiences while building a sense of belonging for students, staff, and faculty, the festival kicked off with the film, “Sound of Metal,” which tells the story of Ruben, a musician who experiences hearing loss and has to navigate how this impacts both his career and identity.
Attendees were encouraged to arrive early to enjoy light refreshments and engage in pre-screening conversations.
“Our goal with this inaugural Disability Film Festival is to provide an opportunity for awareness and education about a variety of disability experiences, as well as work toward creating a greater sense of belonging for our students, staff and faculty with disabilities,” said Terilynn Bench Harris, director of student disability resources. “And – for everyone to have fun!”
The film festival was inspired by the Disability Advisory Committee, composed of students, faculty and staff, who work together to address issues affecting students with disabilities. One of the committee’s student representatives, Jackson Sherry, recommended the idea, after securing funding through the Student Fee Advisory Committee and support from the library and Student Activities teams, the Disability Annual Film Festival became a reality.
The Disability Film Festival will continue with two more films scheduled as part of the series. “Murderball” is set for Oct. 24, followed by “CODA” on Feb. 27. These screenings aim to explore various disability experiences further and foster ongoing dialogue within the campus community.
“It truly takes a community to build something like this, and the excitement and support we’ve received have been incredible,” added Harris. “We hope to continue this festival for years to come, creating space for awareness, dialogue and connection.”