Hello, again all you filmophiles (yes, I know that’s not the ‘correct’ term),
The next shiny new edition of the London Autism Film club will be the first of the month on, well, the 1st of the month – at 12.30-2 pm on Saturday 1 February, THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986) will be the film up for discussion 😍🎥
Focused around an autistic boy named Eric, THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (114 mins) is about this boy’s dreams of being able to fly, and about the warmness with which everyone he meets feel towards him.
Here’s what has been said about the film:
‘…The movie is often cited by those in the AS community — probably because it is one of the few films to feature an autistic main character and actually admit that he or she is autistic. First released in 1986 — two years before “Rain Man” — “The Boy Who Could Fly” is praised for its portrayal of a family and group of friends that show quite a bit of empathy towards Eric. The Superman-era special effects aren’t bad either’
And here’s a trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWmO31SyO70
The whole film is freely available to stream safely and legally on Dailymotion (in two parts). 😎👇👇
Part One: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4dn5vo (55.57)
Part Two: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4dqu8o (55.58)
Further reading: The Reason I Jump: One Boy’s Voice from the Silence of Autism, written by the Japanese author Naoki Higashida in 2005, a then-13-year-old boy with severe autism.
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The discussion will take place downstairs in the basement area where the cinema is located, and lights will be dimmed. The cinema is straight ahead upon entering and is the first door on the left. Toilets are located at the end of the corridor on the right.
Issues relating to anxiety and sensory concerns will be considered, and people attending do not have to have a formal diagnosis, they may have self-diagnosed or simply suspect themselves of being Autistic. Taking a friend, partner or facilitator as +1 is quite alright, so long as they respect and support the aims of the group.
So, come on over on the 1st February, and bring a fellow human being with you too, the more the (hopefully) merrier! 😊