Wretchers & Jabberers: The Partners Connection

Partners Grad Jennifer Russo (2007) is the Marketing Director for the Syracuse University School of Education and of the newest film from award-winning producer and director, Gerardine Wurzburg and producer Douglas Bilken, PhD from Syracuse University. Jennifer designed the t-shirts, banners and promotional materials. She will get to travel with the film when it premiers in other parts of the country.

Partners Grad Jennifer Seybert (also 2007) was also involved in the screening. She is attending Syracuse University for a Masters in Disability Studies and was handing out literature when I saw her. Her typed comments added much to the Q&A session after the movie.


The film, Wretches and Jabberers, tells the story of two men who have autism and, after years without a communication system, learned in adulthood to communicate by typing. The two men, Larry Bissonnette and Tracy Thresher travel with their support people, Pascal Chang and Harvey F. Lavoy, and a film team to Sri Lanka, Japan and Finland to "bring people's understanding of disability to a positive place."

The movie primiered October 16, 2010 during the Syracuse International Film Festival and was followed by a panel discussion with the film stars and team. In the spring the movie will show in major cities like New York and Chicago.

For my review of the film click .here.

Attention Partners: This movie needs to show in your town!!