The ReelAbilities Film Festival and John’s Crazy Socks, a father-son business featured in this year’s festival, have much in common. They both show what people with differing abilities can do and neither refuses to quit in the face of obstacles. With the spread of the Coronavirus, the theaters that were going to show the movies in the ReelAbilities Film Festival closed, but nothing can stop the festival, so it is moving online. Sock Guys, an award-winning documentary about John’s Crazy Socks will be a highlight of the now virtual film festival.
The ReelAbilities Online Film Festival will kick off on Tuesday, March 31 and run through Monday, April 6. (You can see the full schedule here.) Sock Guys, directed and produced by Katie Turinski, will show as part of series of short films on Saturday, April 4 at 1:30 p.m. eastern time. You can find tickets and information here.
ReelAbilities: A Film Festival that Makes a Difference
ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. The weeklong festival is renowned for its wide-ranging international film selection, riveting conversations, and performances. Most years, the festival features live Q&A with the filmmakers and the subjects of the films. This year, the Q&A sessions are moving online.
Yaara Kedem, Associate Director of the festival, said, “We are so excited to keep the festival alive by moving online this year. We are thrilled that so many people will be able to experience these incredibly moving films. It is so important that these stories be told.”
Sock Guys: A Documentary Short about John’s Crazy Socks
One of the highlights of this year’s film festival will be Katie Turinski’s Sock Guys. Previewed at film festivals across the U.S., it has won praise and prizes wherever it has been screened. The film tells the story of the father-son team of John and Mark X. Cronin. When John, who has Down syndrome, could not find meaningful work, he suggested to his Dad that they should go into business together and sell socks. And that’s exactly what they did. They have built a business with a mission to spread happiness and show what people with differing abilities can do.
Joey Travolta, a filmmaker and owner of Inclusion Studies, called the film impressive and moving. “I loved it.”
In previewing the festival’s films for Life-Wire, Greg Perosi singled out Sock Guys. “It reminds me how much I love spending time with my dad and how proud he is of me,” said Perosi. “This was an inspiring story and it will help us to understand how fortunate some of us are to have Dads who care about our future.” Perosi added, “It was nice to see how proud John is of his work and his business, and also I loved to see that they employ people with all different disabilities and how much the employees love working there and making friends with each other.”
