Documentaries About Autism
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- DirectorScott SteindorffStarsScott Steindorff'Understanding Autism' explores the latest research in autism and how empathy and emotion can help autistic people live happier and more functional lives.
- DirectorMatt FullerAutism in Love follows the story of four adults with autism spectrum disorders as they search for and manage romantic relationships.
- DirectorFran RobertsonJack, 3 and Jeremiah, 4 are starting their first term at Treetops School in Essex, the only state school in the UK which uses ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis) a controversial and intensive intervention used to treat autism. Their parents have high hopes of this 'tough love' approach, but critics argue that it is dehumanizing and abusive to try to eliminate autistic behaviour. Through the interweaving of the stories of Jack and Jeremiah, of the charismatic ABA consultant Gunnar Frederickson and of campaigners and parents critical of ABA, we are confronted by a complex world which asks fundamental questions about how we bring up our children and how society should respond to people with autism.
- DirectorTricia ReganStarsHillary AaronJoe AaronLexi AaronFollows five autistic children as they work together to create and perform a live musical production.
- DirectorSugey CruzRichard EvertsStarsKenneth BockRichard EvertsRaun KaufmanFollow one man's 11,000 mile, 40 day journey across the American landscape to visit twenty families and individuals affected by autism while searching for answers for his own son. With interviews from around the nation that include the widest spectrum of backgrounds - each conducted in the participants' original language - the film weaves a broad and compelling tapestry across the spectrum of American life in all its faiths, disparities, colors, and cultures. What he learns along the way will change not only his life, but the lives of those he meets, forever. It's a story about the best days that still lie ahead for our nation, the families, and the people who give America its heart.
- DirectorThomas Elliott GriffithsStarsJake CartwrightThomas Elliott GriffithsBrenda JonesThomas wants to learn about the neurological condition that his little brother, Owen, was diagnosed with as a child - autism. Through the piecing together of home videos and interviews with people both on and off the autistic spectrum, Thomas attempts to learn more about the condition whilst telling the story of him and his brother, in an effort to raise awareness and society's understanding of the condition.
- DirectorStephen W. MackeyStarsTemple GrandinThis Business Of Autism is an expository documentary film about the economic and societal benefits of employing young adults with autism. The film addresses the positive impacts of developing profitable businesses while leveraging the unique capabilities of adults with autism, at the crossroads of government programs, corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, and family.
- DirectorErik LinthorstStarsCaroline BennerJan BlacherJasmin BoardFive diverse students on the autism spectrum take us into their lives and into their classrooms to show us how they're making college work.
- DirectorChandi ZiebarthStarsChandi ZiebarthThere are several societal changes that we can make right now to better accommodate people with autism. This documentary explores how families can make some reasonable changes in their daily lives right now. Together, our society must solve the autism puzzle for all of those individuals and families currently living with autism so they can have a better quality of life. It's time to unlock the autism puzzle by understanding how people with autism see the world. The world of autism is understood through pictures instead of: text, speech and sound.
- DirectorMichael TerrillStarsJ.R. CairnsEmbarrassed at having a child on the spectrum, the Cairns family decides that abusing the autism out of their son, J.R., is the solution. Out anxiety and fear J.R. hides his neurodivergence and his family thinks he's now cured.
- DirectorTaylor Rosa
- DirectorDavid StagnariStarsErich PreisMichael KitakisDominick MavelliaA talented painter with Asperger's Syndrome takes over an abandoned gas station to start an art school for special needs children and war veterans.
- DirectorFayekah TakiStarsShyrose DhallaOver the years, we have seen many cases of children with Autism and while at times, they are perfectly normal we have not understood their needs and pushed them away. This documentary sheds light on this important issue and attempts to create more awareness about autism and the importance of it's acceptance.
- DirectorNicholas Ryan-Purcell'This Is Nicholas - Living With Autism' chronicles a mother's determination to see her son faced with Autism and Depression overcome challenges, along with the support from family, community and teachers
- DirectorAaron FeinsteinKen and Alex is about the unconditional love of a divorced father with sole-custody of his son, a non-verbal teenager on the autism spectrum. New York City, with all its beauty and chaos, is the backdrop for this tale of two men searching for ways to connect with the world around them.
- DirectorFern LevittPaws for Autism follows two autistic children and their service dogs. It goes through a journey with Braydon and his family before Bogart, their new service dog, enters their home. We will see the potential impact that the dog has on Braydon and his family. Can Bogart do what seems impossible for everyone else? Can he penetrate Braydon's closed off world and open him to ours? Similarly, we follow Ezra's family, who is hoping that their community school will accept Quinn, their service dog, as part of Ezra's classroom. We examine the school and the principal as he navigates through the challenges of bringing a dog in to the school. If Quinn is accepted, the film will then focus on how this dog will not only impact the behaviour of Ezra, but the effect that Quinn will have on the entire school.
- DirectorHana MakkiStarsAli Al SayedDana DajaniMina LiccioneAs One traces the journey of ten children with Autism and their special families as they struggle and triumph with Autism in the United Arab Emirates.
- DirectorJohn BlockStarsStephen KanneJames LankfordKent MartlingHow is it we know so little about something so widespread? None of us are more than a family member or neighbor away from autism. Sounding the Alarm follows autism families as they negotiate tangled rules and regulations, and steadfastly fight to find and afford the right care and treatment for their loved ones throughout their lives.
- DirectorMarion GrunerChristopher SumptonStarsAndy BolteEllen BolteDerrick MacFabeThe Autism Enigma looks at the progress of an international group of scientists who are looking for clues to the baffling disorder by examining the amazingly diverse and powerful microbial ecosystem that's an essential part of the human gastrointestinal tract, and the extraordinary efforts of parents who have been relentlessly pushing science forward in hopes of finding answers for their children's condition.
- DirectorZac AdamsStarsMichelle BegleyDavid CantrellC.J. ColeA powerful and emotional documentary that chronicles families living with autism. From moderate cases to extreme, the film explores what it's like living with this developmental disability on a day-to-day basis. What is autism? What does that word truly mean? "Autism in America" not only answers that question, but also disproves the many misconceptions often associated with that word.
- DirectorFriðrik Þór FriðrikssonStarsMargrét Dagmar EricsdóttirDavid G. AmaralSimon Baron-CohenThe mother of an autistic child is determined not to accept the pessimistic prognosis for her son.
- DirectorMichel Orion ScottStarsRupert IsaacsonKristin NeffRowan IsaacsonA writer documents the journey his family takes to Mongolia to consult with nomadic shamans on the healing of their autistic son.
- DirectorTodd DreznerStarsNadine AntonelliSimon Baron-CohenBillyWhat would you call a four year old who caresses all the lampposts in the park? Quirky? Unusual? Or sick? Such labels are at the center of the debate about autism. Is it a disease or a different way of being--or both? After his son's diagnosis, filmmaker Todd Drezner visits the front lines of the autism wars. We meet parents desperate for a cure, visit conferences where vendors hawk vitamins and hyperbaric chambers, hear from advocates who fight for 'neurodiversity,' and follow a group of autistic children and adults whose lives show that 'if you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.'
- DirectorWilliam DavenportThis film explores the controversy surrounding autism advocacy from the perspectives of members of the autism communities.
- DirectorGavin O'ConnorStarsBen AffleckAnna KendrickJ.K. SimmonsAs a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities, and the body count starts to rise.
- DirectorGerardo OlivaresStarsMaribel VerdúJoaquín FurrielJoaquín RapaliniA mother with an autistic child travel from Spain to Argentina looking to help her son to connect with his emotions.
- DirectorGerardine WurzburgStarsLarry BissonnetteTracy ThresherIn 'Wretches & Jabberers and Stories from the Road', two men with autism embark on a global quest to change prevailing attitudes about disability and intelligence. With limited speech, Tracy Thresher, 42, and Larry Bissonnette, 52, both faced lives of mute isolation in mental institutions or adult disability centers. When they learned as adults to communicate by typing, their lives changed dramatically. Their world tour message is that the same possibility exists for others like themselves. At each stop, they dissect public attitudes about autism and issue a hopeful challenge to reconsider competency and the future. Along the way, they reunite with old friends from the USA, expand the isolated world of a talented young painter and make new allies in their cause.
- DirectorWilliam Davenport'Too Sane For This World' explores the challenges, gifts and unique perspectives of 12 adults on the autism spectrum. The film features an introduction by Dr. Temple Grandin. Many adults on the autism spectrum discover their condition much later in life, some being diagnosed as late as the age of forty. Knowing that you are on the spectrum can bring a great relief and understanding of oneself, but also a label that brings it's own set of societal discrimination's. The questions for the interviews were devised by adults on the spectrum, and this film is a collaboration between nerotypical and A-typical filmmakers. 'Too Sane For This World' is about exhibiting the strengths, discussing the challenges and exposing the immediate need for society to address the concerns within the autism community.
- DirectorEurydice RomanThe struggle of dealing with Autism in New York City from a parent point of view who is searching for resources from schooling to social gathering places for children on the spectrum. The Engaging journey of talking with other parents from various social economic background and underpromoted organizations who are trying to assist Families with Autism and Both are underrepresented in the Mainstream Media. Autism affects everyone doesn't care about your race or economic background.
- DirectorMark PooleAaron Has Autism follows the lives of Aaron, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of four, and his family. This film is a follow-up to Autism The Early Signs (1989) and Autism The Teen Years (2004)
- StarsZack PeterEj QuesadaEthan QuesadaWhen Zack Peter found out his younger brother Ethan, was diagnosed with autism, he made it his mission to ensure Ethan will one day live an independent life. Together, he and his family work hard to make sure Ethan has the same opportunities as other kids his age, giving him a bright future. Follow their journey in Sibling Warrior. Zack, the oldest, has been working alongside his mother, Nancy, advocating for the cause since Ethan (aka "Deets") was diagnosed with autism in 2005. After receiving a bio medical treatment grant for Ethan from Generation Rescue in 2010, Zack has helped his mother find the best resources available to support Ethan. EJ, Nancy's second oldest son, has also been a brave sibling warrior, helping his parents take care of Ethan on a day-to-day basis. Follow their journey in Sibling Warrior.
- DirectorGraham Streeter
- DirectorHelen Slinger
- DirectorJohn ChisholmStarsLynne DuquetteAnthony EdwardsPaulette PierottiLynne Duquette shares her experience as a parent of a child with autism and follows the individual stories of several families faced with the same diagnosis in this emotional and informative documentary.
- DirectorRobert MoranDirector Robert Moran, a bi-racial filmmaker diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, embarks on a quest to understand the current state of autism diagnosis and treatment in minority communities.
- DirectorSteven SudermanWhen their two-year-old son Oskar is diagnosed with autism, this busy family of seven drops everything for a year to focus on his therapy. In their surprising journey of discovery, they confront a critical question: What does unconditional love really mean?
- DirectorJohn GrossStarsMaude LerouxJohn SerpentelliJennifer ShumardAnimating Autism is a feature length documentary about seven kids on the autism spectrum collaborating to create their own short animated film. The documentary follows them as they learn how to turn their sketches into movies and form lasting friendships.
- DirectorErin CorradoStarsTony AttwoodErin CorradoBarb DanielsHOLD ME STEADY is a story of autism service dogs, the lives they touch, and societies views on the world of autism. Weaving together information through conversations with families and professionals, as well as visually showing a respectful portrait of the way service dogs help in daily life, this is a picture of the autism community and the special relationships inside of it. Sometimes, we all need an anchor - something, someone, to hold us steady through life.
- DirectorJerry RothwellStarsDonna BudwayEmma BudwayJeremy DearBased on the book by Naoki Higashida, this immersive film explores the experiences of non-speaking autistic people around the world.
- DirectorChandi ZiebarthStarsChandi ZiebarthThe financial costs of autism on our global society in healthcare and educational needs are astronomical and are rapidly increasing everyday.