An unlikely panel of international experts in the subjects of disabilitiesand cinema are meeting for a conference in Iowa City today through Sunday.Organizers hope people will attend the conference and leave with a newunderstanding about disabled people and about film.Chris Smit is a University of Iowa grad student who is in a wheelchair. He’sorganized this conference that’s drawing professors and grad students from17 universities around the world, including South Africa and Morocco. Hesays there’ll be showings of two films that portray disabled people.Smit says this is the first-ever conference to examine the representation ofdisabilities in film. Smit says he’s not trying to enrage anyone to writeletters to Hollywood filmmakers, nor is he trying to inspire film boycotts.The conference is open to anyone and there is no admission charge. It’sbeing held at the U-of-I’s Pappajohn Business Administration Building. Formore information, call (319) 351- 6134.
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