"Life, Animated" Doc Film--Disney's Animated Characters Connect Autistic Youth to Communicate His Feelings

"Life Animated" is a documentary that touches the heart in unconventional & unforseeable ways.  Owen Suskind is the unique hero of this remarkable film.  We follow him & his family on his emotional journey of discovery & development for a year in which he graduates school & moves from his family home into his own aptmt within a group home.   The film is directed with candor & compassion by Oscar winner Roger Williams (b US 1973.)  Williams received his Acad Award for the short doc film "Music by Prudence" (2010.)  "Life, Animated" earned Williams a best dir award at Sundance (2016.)  Owen is the son of Ron Suskind, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.  The film is as much about Owen as it is about his loving & devoted family; mother Cordelia and older brother, Walter.  Each member share raw emotional profundities into anguish, love, pride & determination.  Walter is an amazing young man who cares deeply for his brother; always on hand to help Owen navigate his world which is often frightening, confusing & isolating.  It's apparent this family has great love & support for one another. We see a home movie of Owen at age 3 which according to his dad, "is not be remarkable showing a father & son playing together except that shortly thereafter, Owen began to disappear."  Owen's vocabulary turned to gibberish, his physical agility regressed & he withdraw into himself.  The family's anguish at losing their hold on their son was met with an indefatigable effort to breakthrough into Owen's world.  The family discovered Owen navigated the world through Disney animated characters.  The film draws us into Owen's magnetic presence and his abilities to reconnect to his family & his emotions which open his world - to a world of possibilites.  There are many mystifying & misty eyed moments in the life of Owen; his relationship & break-up with Emily, his job interview, his deeply moving talk before hundreds in Paris on autism, sorrowful moments & prideful accomplishments.  "Life, Animated" has animated sequences of Owen as well as numerous Disney characters which mirror his emotional roller coaster ride through life.  Williams sensitive touch with Owen & the many wonderful people in his life provide an empathetic understanding of individuals with autism.  It's also an inspirational film of the human spirit & kindheartedness.  "People with autism don't want to be apart from others.  We very much want to be accepted."  (Owen Suskind)