Event box

Join the Newton Free Library and GBH for an Indie Lens Pop-Up! This event will feature a screening of the Independent Lens documentary The Tallest Dwarf, followed by a panel discussion in collaboration with the Newton Commission On Disability and Understanding Our Differences.

 

The Tallest Dwarf follows filmmaker Julie Forrest Wyman as she searches for her place in the little people community and unpacks rumors of dwarfism in her own family. Through intimate stories, creative collaborations, and archival history, the film delves into identity and medicine, asking whether society should change people or the structures that limit them.

 

About the Film:

The Tallest Dwarf

By Julie Forrest Wyman (director/producer), Jonna McKone (producer), Lindsey Dryden (producer), and Shaleece Haas (producer)

 

About the Panelists:

Becky Jackson Curran is a disability inclusion advocate, speaker, and media consultant committed to advancing authentic disability representation. She founded DisABILITY In Media, serves on national advisory boards including the UOD, and has delivered 650+ talks, including two TEDx Talks.

 
Nyree Kibarian has served on the Newton Commission On Disability since 2022. Her disability journey began when she was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease called Emery Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy in childhood. Nyree took her first official step into the world of disability while at Regis College when she joined Northeast Passage’s wheelchair rugby team. She now works in insurance as a Senior Advisory Representative at Marsh USA.
 
Moderator Jack Lovett has lived in Newton since 2006. Jack has Asperger’s Syndrome and chronic Tinnitus (ear ringing). He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Newton Commission On Disability and serves on the Newton Public Schools’ Disability Advisory Group.

 

About Indie Lens Pop-Up:

For more than 20 years, the award-winning Indie Lens Pop-Up program has partnered with local organizations across the country to bring people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Inspired by the documentaries featured on PBS’s Independent Lens, Indie Lens Pop-Up is a space for sharing ideas and making connections that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Since its inception in 2005, nearly half a million participants have come together at Indie Lens Pop-Up events to discuss issues that impact local communities. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.

 

Accessibility:

This event will take place in Druker Auditorium at the Newton Free Library. The location is wheelchair accessible, and the film will be shown with open captions. The panel discussion will include ASL interpretation. Assistive listening devices are available and can be requested from staff at the event. Doors will open at 6pm. The film is 60 minutes long, followed by a 45-minute panel discussion. Click here for more detailed information about the location and program. 

 

Registration is encouraged, and you'll get a reminder if you sign up. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Date:
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Time:
6:30pm - 8:15pm
Location:
Druker Auditorium
Audience:
  Adult  
Categories:
  Movies     Talks & Presentations  
Registration has closed.
Accessibility:
The location of this meeting is accessible, and reasonable accommodation will be provided to persons with disabilities who require assistance. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact the city of Newton’s ADA Coordinator at least two business days in advance of the meeting: ADACoordinator@newtonma.gov or (617) 796-1253. The city’s TTY/TDD direct line is: 617-796-1089. For the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), please dial 711.