A life transformed through animated films

I hope you will join us on Thursday July 6

Hi, I am Sophie Castell and I am chair of the Enfield Branch of the National Autistic Society. We are pleased to partner with Talkies for this special event. I will introduce the evening, highlighting some of the challenges of autism. The film shows one amazing young man's experience of autism.

TALKIES COMMUNITY CINEMA

LIFE ANIMATED

life animated picture

A heartwarming real life story about Owen Suskind, an autistic boy whose life was transformed through animated films

Thursday 6 July @ 7.45pm
THE DUGDALE CENTRE

From Academy Award winning director Roger Ross Williams, LIFE, ANIMATED is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films.

Owen was a thriving three year old who suddenly and inexplicably went silent – and for years after remained unable to connect with other people or to convey his thoughts, feelings or desires.

Over time, through repeated viewings of Disney classics like THE LITTLE MERMAID and THE LION KING, Owen found useful tools to help him to understand complex social cues and to re-connect with the world around him.

LIFE, ANIMATED evocatively interweaves classic Disney sequences with verité scenes from Owen’s life in order to explore how his identification and empathy for characters like Simba, Jafar, and Ariel gave him a means to understand his feelings and allowed him to interpret reality. Beautiful, original animations offer rich insights into Owen’s fruitful dialogue with the Disney oeuvre as he imagines himself heroically facing adversity as a member in a tribe of sidekicks.

Owen’s story is a moving testament to the many ways in which stories can serve as a means of persevering through the dark times, leading us all toward the light.

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