Big Enough

In this intimate portrait, several dwarfs who appeared in Jan Krawitz and Thomas Ott’s 1982 film Little People welcome the camera into their lives once again. They confront physical and emotional challenges with humor, grace, and sometimes, frustration. The film provides a unique perspective on a proud and active community that many people know only from cultural stereotypes.

53 minutes | 2004


Awards/Screenings

Awards

First Prize, Documentary, Carolina Film and Video Festival
First Prize, Documentary, East Lansing Film Festival
Top 25 Documentaries of 2005, Video Librarian Magazine
Heart of the Festival Award, Vermont International Film Festival
CINE Golden Eagle Award, Washington, D.C.
Best Documentary, University Film and Video Association
Director’s Citation, Black Maria Film & Video Festival
Third Prize, Big Muddy Film Festival

Selected Screenings

South by Southwest (SXSW)
SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Documentary Festival
Docupolis, Barcelona, Spain
Moscow Disability Festival
ReelheART International Film Festival, Toronto
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Cinequest
Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival
United Nations Association Film Festival
Santa Fe Film Festival
Southern Circuit Tour
Women in the Director’s Chair
Picture this, British Columbia
Riverrun International Film Festival
Tiburon International Film Festival
Sedona International Film Festival
Wine Country Film Festival
Plymouth Independent Film Festival
Fairfax Film Festival
University Film and Video Association Conference
National Social Science Association Annual Conference
National Science Association Annual Conference
American Psychological Association Annual Conference

Broadcasts

Broadcasts

P.O.V., PBS national series
America ReFramed, PBS national series
Netflix
Polish television
Irish television
Thailand television
Middle East television
Canadian television
Danish television
Croatian television
Swedish television
Latvian Televison
Australian television
Finnish television
New Zealand television
Israeli and Gaza television
Spain, Portugal, Andorra television
ABC Asia television

Press

Press Quotes

“Krawitz’s meticulously crafted work reveals surprising nuances of character… Serendipity partners with Krawitz’s smart choices to create a rich and rewarding viewing experience.” – Palo Alto Weekly

“We get such a personal and pleasant experience with these subjects, one can only hope Krawitz will revisit them once again.” – SXSW

“… heart-breaking, humorous, inspirational and educational…” – Jackson Free Press”

“Her subjects are forthcoming and funny, always willing to share how hard it is to live in a world not scaled for them.” – Washington City Paper

Reviews

Educational Media Reviews Online (Marianne D. Muha)
Video Librarian (J. Shannon)
Visual Studies (Posey Gruener)
Jackson Free Press (Paul Dearing)
San Jose Mercury News (Kim Vo)
Palo Alto Weekly (Susan Tavernetti)
Washington City Paper (S.D.)
Austin Chronicle (Matt Dentler)
Ability Magazine
Palaestra
Metro

Characters

Characters


Mark was a spunky 11-year old boy in 1981. He and his wife Anu (who died in May 2005) join forces in Big Enough as they share their daily travails with the viewer.

Karla was a 16-year old girl in Little People. She is now Karla Lizzo and appears in Big Enough with her average-sized husband, John Lizzo.

Len was a 32-year old man when he was filmed in 1981. In Big Enough, he appears with his wife Lenette, his average-sized son, Brandon, and his dwarf daughter, Joelle.

Ron and Sharon were newlyweds in Little People. They appear in Big Enough with their dwarf teenagers, Alicia and Andrew.

Director’s Statement

Director’s Statement

In 1981, I co-directed Little People, a 58-minute film that focused on several dwarfs as they struggled towards equal opportunity and enhanced self-esteem. Little People premiered at The New York Film Festival and was broadcast nationally on PBS. In my filmmaking career, I have never been tempted to return to the topic of a previous film but in 2000, I began to consider the possibility of a second film about dwarfism. With society’s  newfound appreciation for diversity and accommodation of people with disability, had society become more accommodating of people with physical differences?

I reconnected with some of the individuals featured in Little People to find out how their lives had evolved over the previous twenty years. Did 11-year old Mark retain his confidence and optimism as an adult? Did 16-year old Karla marry a little person as she had hoped? Did the “second-generation” dwarf children of newlyweds Ron and Sharon have an easier time because they had dwarf parents? Was Len still a “dwarf power” activist? There were indeed new stories to discover. 

Credits

Credits

Producer, Director, Editor – Jan Krawitz
Cinematographer – Thomas Ott
Original Music – Tim Kerr

Funding:
Southwest Alternate Media Project
Texas Commission on the Arts
The University Research Institute of the University of Texas at Austin

Order/Contact

Order

For DVD purchase, use the “Buy Now” link to place an order for $16.99 (includes postage/handling).

For international orders outside the U.S., please email krawitz@stanford.edu for shipping costs.

All films, videos, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs are protected by United States copyright law. Duplication, reproduction, alteration, subleasing, television (broadcast, cable or close circuit) or commercial use (i.e., charging admission) is strictly prohibited without written consent from Jan Krawitz.

Contact

Jan Krawitz is available for speaking engagements with her films at conferences and universities. She also conducts master classes and presents public talks about documentary film as a Visiting Filmmaker.

krawitz@stanford.edu
www.jankrawitz.com