Veronica Takes On Hollywood

An actress wants a role worth playing. Hollywood keeps offering her a punch line. That frustration drives Veronica, a dark comedy heading to Palm Springs in a free program that puts disabled artists, their work and their perspectives at the center of the conversation.

VERONICA 'Selene Luna - Katey Sagal

The Palm Springs Cultural Center will present this special edition of Books, Films, & Then Some with Corey Roskin on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 2300 E. Baristo Road. Author Emily Rapp Black’s conversation begins at 3 p.m., followed by the short films Veronica and Buttinskis and a filmmaker panel beginning at 6 p.m.

The program recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National Dwarfism Advocacy Month, pairing entertainment with questions about who gets hired, whose stories reach audiences and who gets to tell them.

In Veronica, Selene Luna plays Veronica Santos, an actress with dwarfism seeking meaningful work alongside her agent, played by Katey Sagal. Their search exposes an industry too willing to turn physical difference into a sight gag. The premise gives the comedy a pointed target: the limitations of Hollywood’s imagination.

Luna co-wrote and produced the film with John T. Stapleton. Directed by Brett Dos Santos, it also features Margaret Cho and Taryn Manning. According to the Cultural Center’s announcement, the production team includes Woody Harrelson, with an original score by Deven Green and Ned Douglas.

The evening’s companion film, Buttinskis, brings another performer’s perspective to the screen. Created by and starring Christophe Zajac-Denek, the comedy draws on his experience with dwarfism and follows a comedian pushing back against people who insist on telling him what to do.

Luna, Manning, Stapleton and Zajac-Denek are scheduled to participate in the discussion moderated by Roskin, allowing audiences to hear directly from artists associated with the films.

Earlier, Rapp Black will discuss I Would Die If I Were You: Notes on Art and Truth-Telling, exploring creativity, difficult truths and the ways art can help people navigate grief. The afternoon schedule includes a craft activity during the 3–4 p.m. conversation, followed by a 4–5 p.m. book signing.

Together, the sessions offer a chance to encounter these artists through their humor, writing and creative choices—and then join the conversation beyond the page and screen.

Admission is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged through the Palm Springs Cultural Center’s Eventbrite listing.