Dwarfism and Islamic fundamentalism - to the novice ear these things may sound like unrelated issues, but students staying alert on campus know that such topics are the themes of this year's Diversity Film Series.
Short on size but most definitely not substance, dwarfism was the topic of the most recent film in the series, "The Station Agent." The movie follows the solitary life of Fin McBride, played by go-to little guy Peter Dinklage ("Nip/Tuck"). Inheriting a rundown train depot after the death of his only friend, Fin putters around in silence, alone.
Circumstances disallow this, as Fin begrudgingly befriends Olivia, an attractive struggling artist played by Patricia Clarkson ("All The Kings Men") and an overly friendly hotdog vender named Joe, played by Bobby Cannavale ("Snakes on a Plane"). This social interaction eventually forces Fin to break the inner wall he has built to deal with his condition and interact with his peers.
Dwarfism doesn't seem to hold him down much as he manages to win over almost everyone in town and even gets some full-sized play from both Olivia and the seductive, yet naive librarian Emily, played by Michelle Williams ("Brokeback Mountain").
Dinklage delivered this breakthrough performance in the modern indie classic, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003. His role is delivered in such a way that everyone, even those most insensitive towards dwarves and little people, can't help but feel for him.
Writer/director Thomas McCarthy ("Year of the Dog") successfully portrays the discomfort other "normal" onlookers try to mask as they make it all the more obvious. As Fin copes with this insincerity, the viewers begin to understand why he has formed an emotional shell. When Fin finally allows his raw emotion to spew out, accepting these genuine people into his life, viewers can't help but feel as if they've achieved happiness as well.
With this gem of a role, Dinklage proves that a dwarf can carry a dramatic film and be as good, if not better, than any full-sized actor (Tom Cruise doesn't count).
One can't truly understand someone's misfortune and disability until they actually get inside that persons head and vicariously feel their pain. That's the beauty of the Diversity Film Series.
The next scheduled film in the series is the award-winning "Two Women," Iranian director Tahmineh Milani's gripping portrayal of Royah and Fereshteh, two female architecture students at a university in Tehran. The film follows the students as one finds happiness and marriage and the other finds prejudice and gender inequality at its worst in the Islamic fundamentalist society.
"Women" plays on Tuesday, April 24th at the IDC, located in room 240 in the Student Union.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
