Total Runtime: 58min 29sContent Warnings:<ul><li>Operation: Wet Paint: Flashing lights, shaky camera movement</li><li>Flare: Flashing images, shaky camera movement, discussion of medical gaslighting and trauma</li><li>A Blind Man Stood on the Road and Cried: Discussion of gentrification</li><li>Coming Out Autistic: Brief nudity and sexual situation (animation / not live action)</li><li>So Hip Hop: Flashing lights</li></ul> <a href="https://www.restfestfilmfestival.org/shorts-block-pulse" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204);">Click here to learn about each film in this program.</a>

Operation: Wet PaintIn this narrative short film, an adventurous eighth grader and his friends concoct an elaborate scheme to bring their bullies to justice. Artist Bio: Curtis &amp; Thomas Nishimoto are a twin brother directing duo hailing from Frederick, Maryland. Ever since they could fit a camera in their hands, they have making movies together. Their work has spanned a variety of genres, from modern fantasy in their film Nurikabe to heist family comedy in their newest film Operation: Wet Paint. Their experience as mixed race Japanese Americans draws them to underdog stories that blend cultures and genres, and instills within them a commitment to uplifting diverse artistic voices both in front of and behind the camera. Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: <a href="https://instagram.com/nishimotobros" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@nishimotobros</a> Website: <a href="https://www.nishbrosfilm.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.nishbrosfilm.com</a> Youtube: nishimotobrothers

English

Operation: Wet Paint [AD] [CC]

An adventurous eighth grader and his friends concoct an elaborate scheme to bring their bullies to justice.

A Blind Man Stood on the Road and CriedKrip Hop Nation's Founder disabled poet/activist Leroy Moore Jr. pens a tribute to the late Blues singer Josh White Sr. and includes commentary on the gentrification of our communities nationwide. Online Premiere Artist Bio: Emmitt Thrower is a stroke survivor who is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, actor, activist and playwright. He was born in Arkansas and is now living in the Bronx, NY. As a senior disabled artist, he has decades of lived experience in a complicated world and brings that element to all of his creative works.His award-winning feature documentary film entitled "Where is Hope: The Art of Murder" is available on Kanopy Streaming services in libraries, colleges and universities worldwide. The film tackles the issue of police brutality against people with disabilities. The film was in collaboration with Leroy Moore and Krip Hop Nation's disabled artists worldwide. Emmitt has collaborated on several music videos about disability issues also with Keith Jones and Leroy Moore over the past 15 years.He is currently working on a new film series project entitled "Beyond the Limits". This is his version of Disability in the "Twilight Zone" a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror film series from a disability perspective. Creating entertainment content geared specifically for and by people with disabilities. More about the film: The music for the video was produced by Emmy Award-Winning disabled lyricist and co-founder of Krip Hop Nation composer/activist/artist Keith Jones. Both artists have cerebral palsy and this is one of several collaborations that include disabled Filmmaker Emmitt H Thrower a stroke survivor with blindness in his left eye.The music video was shot in LA by Erick Matuse. Gentrification has priced many people, including people with disabilities, out of their homes and out of their neighborhoods. The song laments those realities much like the Blues singer Josh White Sr. did in his songs. New York Filmmaker Emmitt Thrower who created the concept had a main goal of capturing how the forgotten disabled artists and their work have real-life influence on disabled artists/activists nationwide today. Leroy Moore Jr. continues a tradition.

A Blind Man Stood on the Road and Cried [AD] [OC]

Krip Hop Nation's Founder disabled poet/activist Leroy Moore Jr. pens a tribute to the late Blues singer Josh White Sr. and includes commentary on the gentrification of our communities nationwide.

FlareA first person poetic search for freedom and identity, whilst navigating landscapes of autoimmunity. Artist Bio: Kit Blamire is a filmmaker, poet, anarcho-sicko living in Berlin. <a href="http://www.kateblamire.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.kateblamire.co.uk/</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kit__bla/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@kit__bla</a>

Rapidly flashing images, shaky camera movement, discussion of medical gaslighting and trauma

Flare [AD] [CC]

A first person poetic search for freedom and identity, whilst navigating landscapes of autoimmunity.

Coming Out AutisticA short animated documentary that explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+. Queer coming out stories are well documented, but the occurrence of telling friends, family, co-workers and strangers that you are autistic is less explored. Parallels with queer experiences are investigated and a wide range of individuals are interviewed to express the array of feelings and reactions that are encountered. Artist Bio: Steven Fraser is an animator, writer and artist who creates short films, zines and comics. He makes inventive use of animation to present unique and distinctive art. He identifies as queer and autistic and takes a queer and neurodiverse perspective within his work. <a href="https://instagram.com/stevenfraserart" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@stevenfraserart</a>

Nudity and sexual situation (animation / not live action)

Coming Out Autistic [AD] [CC]

Coming out Autistic is a short animated documentary that explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+. Queer coming out stories are well documented, but the occurrence of telling friends, family, co-workers and strangers that you are autistic is less explored. Parallels with queer experiences are investigated and a wide range of individuals are interviewed to express the array of feelings and reactions that are encountered.

So Hip HopIn this music video, Keith Jones a disabled composer/artist and Emmy award-winning lyricist celebrates 50 years of Hip Hop with the release of his single So Hip Hop featuring Emmy-winning disabled artist Toni A Hickman. Online Premiere Artist Bio: Emmitt Thrower is a stroke survivor who is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, actor, activist and playwright. He was born in Arkansas and is now living in the Bronx, NY. As a senior disabled artist, he has decades of lived experience in a complicated world and brings that element to all of his creative works. His award-winning feature documentary film entitled "Where is Hope: The Art of Murder" is available on Kanopy Streaming services in libraries, colleges and universities worldwide. The film tackles the issue of police brutality against people with disabilities. The film was in collaboration with Leroy Moore and Krip Hop Nation's disabled artists worldwide. Emmitt has collaborated on several music videos about disability issues also with Keith Jones and Leroy Moore over the past 15 years. He is currently working on a new film series project entitled "Beyond the Limits". This is his version of Disability in the "Twilight Zone" a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror film series from a disability perspective. Creating entertainment content geared specifically for and by people with disabilities. <a href="https://instagram.com/truth_thrower" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@truth_thrower</a> <a href="https://instagram.com/dasoultoucha" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@dasoultoucha</a> More about the film: Keith Jones a disabilities advocate, activist and musician with cerebral palsy has been a hip hop artist for over 50 years. His song makes a statement that the unrecognized disabled Hip Hop artists have been here and will be here. His song is included in his album "Bootleg Official". Filmmaker Emmitt H Thrower has collaborated on many music videos with Keith. This one was a special opportunity for me to be a part of this historical recording.The music video shot in LA near the Grammy Museum and surrounding area was a statement in itself. We are included in all of Hip Hop's history no matter if we are ignored. So Hip Hop with it's old school feel is making sure disabled artist take their place historically in the Hip Hop culture.

So Hip Hop [AD] [OC]

Keith Jones a disabled composer/artist and Emmy award-winning lyricist celebrates 50 years of Hip Hop with the release of his single So Hip Hop featuring Emmy-winning disabled artist Toni A Hickman.

In this clip, filmmakers Thomas and Curtis Nishimoto introduce themselves and their film, Operation: Wet Paint

An Introduction to "Operation: Wet Paint" from the Filmmakers: Thomas & Curtis Nishimoto [AD] [CC]

In this clip, filmmaker Emmitt Thrower introduces himself and his film, A Blind Man Stood on the Road and Cried.

An Introduction to "A Blind Man Stood on the Road and Cried" from the Filmmaker: Emmitt Thrower [AD] [CC]

In this clip, filmmaker Steven Fraser introduces himself and his film, Coming Out Autistic.

An Introduction to "Coming Out Autistic" from the Filmmaker: Steven Fraser [AD] [CC]

In this clip, filmmaker Emmitt Thrower introduces himself and his film, So Hip Hop.

An Introduction to "So Hip Hop" from the Filmmaker: Emmitt Thrower [AD] [CC]

Shorts Block: Pulse [AD] [CC]/[OC]

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