Sat Feb 20, 2016 – 7:30 pm | Bushel & Peck’s
Wed Feb 24, 2016 – 5 pm | Domenico’s
Fri Feb 26, 2016 – 5 pm | Domenico’s
Sat Feb 27, 2016 – 5 pm | Domenico’s
Sponsored by:
This outreach and educational concept was developed by the Beloit International Film Festival several years ago to promote and present films dealing with significant issues touching us as a community and as individuals.
“Life-changing” and “inspiring” are words that have been used to describe BIFF’s annual tribute to the human spirit. Encouraging change through the BIFF CARES series is BIFF’s way of recognizing the influence that film can have to move us.
Films, engaged filmmakers and local experts have dealt with topics ranging from teen homelessness and child abuse to end of life issues. One of the festival’s most successful programs, BIFF CARES films are presented multiple times in different venues, reaching thousands in the process.
This year BIFF will offer two films, shown together in the same slot, that illustrate the capacity of individuals, without the use of normal appendages, to achieve great things through perseverance.
(Background image: Birth of an Artist, Dasha)
Directed by Nick Spark
USA | 1 hr. 20 min. | 2015
Jessica Cox was born without arms as a result of a birth defect, but managed to overcome many physical and emotional challenges to become fully independent. She learned to type with her toes, drive a car with her feet, and amazingly — fly an airplane with her feet.
Right Footed follows Jessica as she transforms from a motivational speaker to a mentor, and eventually into a leading advocate for people with disability.
Producer/Director Nick Spark is a Los Angeles based writer and documentary filmmaker with a long standing passion for unconventional characters, including the oft-overlooked female heroine.
Directed by Natasha Babenko
Ukraine | 16 min. | 2015
The Birth of an Artist follows handicapped 17 year old Dasha as she lives her ordinary day: waking up, taking bath, dressing up, eating, playing with her little brother and finally doing what she does the best – painting with her toes. Dasha, native of Sumy, Ukraine, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Fortunately, her brain cells were not damaged which gave her an opportunity to communicate with her family, learn about the world and develop the talent for painting.
Dasha’s day is full of pain and physical struggle but she manages to focus on her artistic work and fully emerge herself into the world full of love and hope despite very hard living conditions.
Narrated by her loving, supporting mother Dasha’s story reveals amazing but also sad moments of the young artist’s life. The opening of Dasha’s 6Th personal exhibition marks the culmination of the tremendous efforts and love for artistic creation the emerging artist has put into her inspirational and thought provoking work.
Natasha BabenkoWriter, director, producer Natasha Babenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine. “The Birth of an Artist” is her first documentary film. The story about disabled Ukrainian girl who manages to live a life of a prolific artist is an exploration of human potential and determination.
