Near the end of this illuminating documentary from filmmaker Barry Shils, actor Edward Asner turns up to say that he has both an autistic son and autistic grandson, and underscores the central message here of how important the arts are for building “a bridge” between people on the autism spectrum and the rest of the world. If that bridge is successfully created, Asner says, there's no need to try to force autistic kids to become “normal” (a word he pronounces with dismissive irony). Generation A: Portraits of Autism and the Arts explores how an emphasis on creativity and other experiences of discovery can help autistic children develop skills that are applicable to other areas of life. Singing, painting, creating animation, dancing, drawing, and writing stories—if encouraged and taught as a series of manageable challenges that add up to something complete—could open doors of opportunity, independence, and expression for kids who might not otherwise find them. Generation A looks at several young people who have not only benefited from mentorship in one or another art forum, but also developed larger ambitions as a result. Animation, especially, seems to be a draw for autistic kids, although there are remarkable examples here from other disciplines as well. Several adult experts in the field of autism—on the spectrum themselves—are among the interviewees, including noted author Dr. Temple Grandin. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
Generation A: Portraits of Autism and the Arts
(2014) 60 min. DVD: $59.95 ($199 w/PPR from edu.passionriver.com). Passion River. Volume 30, Issue 2
Generation A: Portraits of Autism and the Arts
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As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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