The Tallest Dwarf
Description
Diagnosed with hypochondroplasia dwarfism as an adult, filmmaker Julie Forrest Wyman has questions: When did her parents and sister notice her proportions were different from others? Where has research led medicine when it comes to dwarfism and what are the ramifications should a “cure” present itself? And how do people in the little people community view themselves and the society surrounding them? Wyman’s fascinating documentary digs deep into her queries. Her interactions with her parents—especially her sweet-natured dad from whom she inherited her condition—are humorous and moving, while the folks with whom she embeds herself respond to an uncomprehending world with exasperation and creativity. The Tallest Dwarf is a provocative film, one that asks us to examine our own biases and prejudices when it comes to the human impulse to reckon with others. —Pam Grady
Biographies
Julie Forrest Wyman is a filmmaker whose award-winning work has been shown internationally in theatrical, festival, and television venues. Her films investigate the body: locating, exploring, and inventing various situations in which the codes, conditions, and visceral experiences of physicality defy expectation. Her films include A Boy Named Sue (2000) and Strong! (2012). She holds an MFA degree from UC San Diego’s Visual Arts program. She was a 2019 SFFILM FilmHouse resident and The Tallest Dwarf was the recipient of an SFFILM Rainin Filmmakers with Disabilities Grant.