Autism at Sundance

Published January 08, 2009 @ 04:00PM PT

movie film running through a projector The Sundance Film Festival this year is showing two films that feature characters identified as having Aspergers Syndrome.

Adam from director Max Mayer and starring Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne sounds romantic and is described on the film's site, "Though their particular challenges are extraordinary, Beth and Adam's tricky relationship elucidates something universal: truly reaching another person means bravely stretching into discomfiting territory and the shake-up can be liberating."

Mary and Max from director Adam Elliot is an animated feature about a friendship, and is desccribed, "This film that explores friendship, autism, taxidermy, psychiatry, alcoholism, where babies come from, obesity, kleptomania, trust, copulating dogs, sexual and religious differences, agoraphobia, and more, and is rooted in a very personal relationship, is proof of why we go to the movies and a truly exceptional portrait of compassion and love."

Use of the word "suffering" in the Mary and Max description aside (don't worry, I've quite a few things planned to address that issue here), these two films give me hope that autism is indeed gaining more acceptance in the world. These films appear to be neither about how horrible it is to be on the spectrum, nor flashy spots about autistic "super crips." Instead, these appear to be films about human beings who happen to be autistic, with autism being just one facet of plot and character.

Of course until I actually see the films it's hard to make a strong statement about how well or poorly they handle the autistic characters. However, based on the descriptions on the Sundance site, I'm feeling very hopeful!

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Comments (5)

"Suffering" comes compliments of the Sundance folks, *not* the filmmaker. Apparently that word is going to be removed from the online synopsis.

Posted by jypsy norman-bain on 01/08/2009 @ 04:41PM PT
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A father on a message board I visit has a signature line that says something along the lines of "If you're suffering from autism, you're doing it wrong." It is one of my favorite quotes about 'suffering' from autism.

Posted by Melissa Hincha-Ownby on 01/08/2009 @ 08:21PM PT
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@Melissa Hincha-Ownby, that is a FANTASTIC saying! I'm so going to remember and use it! Thanks so much for sharing it!

Posted by Dora Raymaker on 01/08/2009 @ 08:49PM PT
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I posted on this a while back when I first heard about it on my blog: http://www.aspieweb.net/aspie-romance-movie/

I honestly can't wait to see it.

Posted by Zachary Lassiter on 01/08/2009 @ 08:51PM PT
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I think the movie Adam will be fantastic just because...

Posted by Jason Ross on 01/09/2009 @ 01:29AM PT
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Dora is committed to improving quality of life for individuals on the autistic spectrum--including herself! She is Co-director of the Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education and a member of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's Board of Directors.