Investigating autistic presence and expression on film and TV. We push beyond the obvious and seek out autistic themes and concerns in films from across the cinematic spectrum. We consider the ethics of performing autism, while also celebrating the autistic pleasures offered by the camerawork and the soundscapes. We delve into the works of cult directors who have hit upon an autistic way-of-seeing, perhaps without ever intending to. We entertain new possibilites for re-thinking beloved films in a neurodivergent light. Join regular contributors Janet Harbord, Georgia Bradburn, John-James Laidlow, David Hartley and Alex Widdowson for their fascinating and diverting discussions of a whole suite of suprising and challenging films. This podcast is brought to you by the Autism Through Cinema project, based at Queen Mary, University of London and funded by the Wellcome Trust. For further information on the wider project, visit our website at autism-through-cinema.org.uk and follow us ...
Episodes
Friday Jun 25, 2021
Friday Jun 25, 2021
Varda’s film explores the history and contemporary practices of gleaning (picking up leftovers after the act of harvesting), putting digression at the centre of its approach. Following wherever intuition and coincidence lead, the film becomes a non-linear accumulation of stories and objects. The discussion considers whether Varda is a trickster figure in her style of striking up ‘stranger familiarity’, and whether it is a film of peripheral outsiders or a display of how different people are everywhere. A particular resonance with autism is its celebration of monotropism and special interests, which leads to a debate of whether filmmaking in itself can be seen as a type of autistic hyper-focus.
Discussants: Alex Widdowson, David Hartley, Georgia Kumari Bradburn, Janet Harbord, John-James Laidlow, & Vicky Thonton.
Email us your reactions to cinemautism@gmail.com
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