Autism: The Musical Directed by Tricia Regan, 2007

AUTISM: THE MUSICAL follows five children with autism, their parents, and the extraordinary acting coach Elaine Hall as they improbably and heroically mount a full-length original stage production. Through trial and error, tears and laughter, these incredible families learn to communicate their feelings in song and performance, finding solace and joy in the act of creating.

A veritable feast of astounding breakthroughs and heartbreaking hardship, this spellbinding film is a musical celebration of kids living with this increasingly prevalent disorder. Director Tricia Regan vividly captures the individual personalities and problems of each child, from precocious Henry who talks a mile-a-minute about dinosaurs to Neal, a sensitive and articulate boy who nonetheless struggles to speak at all. The parents, too, are fascinating studies in unconditional love, especially Elaine, the mastermind behind the musical and mother of Neal.

A consciousness-raising and empathetic portrait of children and their families living with autism, AUTISM: THE MUSICAL celebrates the spark of humanity in each of us. “Moving, dramatic, therapeutic and unburdened by reliance on talking heads” (Variety), this film will change the way you look at autism.