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Up Syndrome

Early in Duane Graves' "Up Syndrome," we are treated to several excerpts from bad, shot-on-video monster movies made by Graves and his subject, the Down's Syndrome-afflicted Rene Moreno, when they were both about 12 years old.

Early in Duane Graves’ “Up Syndrome,” we are treated to several excerpts from bad, shot-on-video monster movies made by Graves and his subject, the Down’s Syndrome-afflicted Rene Moreno, when they were both about 12 years old. And in many ways, Graves’ exceedingly playful and refreshingly unsentimental portrait of his best friend is a logical extension of those cheesy romps, offering as much insight into Moreno’s personality as opportunities for the irrepressibly joyful Moreno to mug for Graves’ camera.

Docu, which details Moreno’s efforts to mainstream himself into society after graduating from a special high school in 1999, makes the point that just because Moreno doesn’t see himself as disabled doesn’t mean that others, including potential employers, will be so open-minded. But Graves never really broadens his analysis of Rene’s situation to include observations about the overall attitudes of the non-handicapped toward the handicapped, nor does he offer any concentration on how Rene’s condition affects the other members of his family. What remains is touching, but one-note filmmaking that proves its one and only thesis early and often.

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Up Syndrome

  • Production: A Trisomy Films presentation. Produced by Duane Graves, Chante Bergmann, Aaron Webb. Directed, edited, camera (color, digital video) by Duane Graves.
  • Crew: Music, the Raintree, Rene Moreno. Reviewed at Slamdance Film Festival (competing), Jan. 24, 2001. Running time: 81 MIN.
  • With: With: Rene Moreno, Duane Graves.

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