Based on Naoki Higashida’s ground-breaking memoir, in which a 13-year-old nonspeaking autistic boy brilliantly describes his perception of the world, The Reason I Jump offers a rich and highly relatable first-hand portrait of what autism feels like. Following five young people from around the world and using excerpts from the book as a narrative thread, it describes how distressing or intensely beautiful the world can be for someone with ASD. Employing a rich palette of colours, kinetic lights and immersive sound, Rothwell has crafted a deeply empathetic and immersive documentary. The deserving winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, it is a real eye-opener that challenges and overturns many preconceptions about autism.
