Asperger’s awareness growing in popular culture
August 4th, 2009From the New York Times:
Three films revolving around Asperger’s syndrome are being released in the next year, highlighting an increased awareness of the condition in popular culture.
Their nearly simultaneous appearance … underscores how much Asperger’s and high-functioning autism have expanded in the public consciousness since Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of an autistic savant in “Rain Man” 21 years ago.
Two films are being released this summer: “Adam,” a romance between two New Yorkers, and “Mary and Max,” an animated film about an extended pen-pal relationship. An upcoming HBO film tells the story of Temple Grandin, a woman with high-functioning autism who became a professor at Colorado State University and a pioneering designer of humane livestock facilities.
“Adam” was awarded this year’s Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the Sundance festival for outstanding feature film focusing on science and technology.
There is also a growing number of books on the subject, including “Pretending to Be Normal” by Liane Holliday Willey, and the best-selling memoir “Look Me in the Eye,” by John Elder Robison.
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August 4th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I just saw Adam in NYC and wrote a review on it on my website, Abledbody.com. The star of the film (Hugh Dancy) and writer/director (Max Mayer) were both in the audience and answered questions after the film. I felt a bit badly because they were asked all sorts of questions about Asperger’s, such as research and treatments available, and it made me realize that this is probably one reason why Hollywood has in the past shied away from doing these movies — because actors and writers are really just creative folks who want to show life through the prism of an extraordinary circumstance. The Adam crew showed the film to the Aspgerger’s Association and it was very well-received. When Hollywood gets some praise for a movie well-done then they will continue to make them. And the more the disability community guides, engages and supports them, the better the movie will be. By the way, go see Adam. It’s excellent!!