The Reason I Jump

Synopsis

This documentary uses case studies of non-speaking autistic people around the world – in the UK, US, India and Sierra Leone – in order to share their experiences. In the UK, teenager Joss struggles to separate the past and present, leading to volatile emotional swings. In the US, best friends Emma and Ben have each other for support and also communicate with their families and teachers at the progressive special-needs school they attend through letterboards. In India, meanwhile, Amrit channels her frustration into drawings that are eventually hosted in her own gallery show, while in Sierra Leone we meet Jestina whose parents have battled hard against cultural superstition to establish the country’s first dedicated school for autistic children. Based on Naoki Higashida’s 2007 bestseller, this empathetic documentary offers a remarkable sensory insight into how other people understand and interact with their surroundings.