Autism: A Curious Case of the Human Mind

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This award winning film explores a topic that has awakened a lot of controversy in the last few years. The film stars a young man who is passionately interested in exploring the neurological differences between himself and his brother who was born just 11 months after him. He pieces together home movies and interviews men and women who have had some degree of contact with autism and others who have also been diagnosed with the disorder. All of this helps him to get a clearer picture of his brother’s condition and how his brain works. The intention behind Tom’s exploration is to create awareness while at the same time dispelling many myths. He wants to present Autism Spectrum in a friendlier light.

For Tom it was always evident that he and his brother, Owen, were very different particularly when it came to social interactions. However, Tom believed that Owen’s attitude or mannerisms were just due to personal taste and preferences. Tom remembers automatically playing with his cousins when they were young boys while Owen stood away from the group, being more reserved.

Specialists told the parents that Owen would probably never speak a word in his entire life. Tom does not recall having heard any of this as a child or being warned that his brother was different. However when he started school he noticed that his brother didn’t join him and that made him start asking questions.

When their parents separated, Tom realized that his mom dedicated a lot of time to taking care of Owen. He hadn’t noticed it before, because his dad always gave him extra attention. It was when Tom started spending more time with only his brother and mother that he reached the conclusion that there was some sort of favoritism going on. This made him resentful towards his brother because he was too young to understand what was really going on.

The Autism Spectrum is vast and it has been estimated that at least one out of every 68 persons can be found somewhere on the spectrum. Some people are mildly affected by their symptoms, but there are others who are severely impaired. A lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about autism currently exist in society; even some discrimination. Tom hopes to change a little of this by sharing his story. Watch this interesting film now.