Loving Lampposts, a movie about autism
Written by admin2 on March 17th, 2009Filed under: Themes, Auties & Aspies, QuIrked Kids, Irked Videos
Here’s what Alicia Sparks, author of the Psych Central blog “Celebrity Psychings,” had to say about the film Loving Lampposts:
Todd Drezner, a Columbia University Film MFA graduate, is currently making Loving Lampposts, a film FilmStew.com says will “include a close-up look at ‘neurodiversity,’ a movement which posits that curing autism is something that is neither possible nor desirable.” As the father of a son diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Drezner takes special interest in the subject and the film will reportedly feature celebrity advocates like Jenny McCarthy. (For those who’re interested, Loving Lampposts is Drezner’s directorial debut, but he also worked as an editor on I Paint Pictures, a 2007 documentary about a New York street artist with schizophrenia.)
Watch the trailer for Loving Lampposts:
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Here’s an excerpt from LovingLamppostsMovie.com:
What would you say about a child who is obsessed with lampposts? What would you call a three year old who goes to a playground and caresses all the lampposts he can find? Would you call him quirky? Unusual? Or would you say he’s sick? In March of 2007, filmmaker Todd Drezner’s son was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Children with autism have trouble relating to others or engaging in spontaneous conversation. They are often disturbed by sounds or sensations that the rest of us barely notice. They have obsessive interests such as lining up toys or memorizing train schedules, and they engage in repetitive behaviours such as rocking or flapping….So what about the boy who loves lampposts. If an obsession with unusual things is autistic behavior, and autism is nothing but a tragedy, then the love of lampposts should be driven out of him. But loving is not what makes us sick. It is, we’ve always been told, what makes us human.
And here’s another one:
The public views autism as a terrible, epidemic disease that can destroy children’s lives. Sometimes described as a disorder that steals children’s souls, autism has been the subject of fear-inspiring stories on the front page of the New York Times, on Oprah and in People Magazine. Loving Lampposts takes a different view of autism. Inspired by the filmmaker’s own experience with a son on the autism spectrum, the film looks at the “neurodiversity” movement, a growing group of people who view autism not only as a disorder that must be treated, but as a different way of life that must be accepted and supported. Told through the stories of autistic children and adults, the film examines the politics surrounding autism and the neurodiversity movement. Ultimately, it shows that it’s possible to lead a happy, successful life and be autistic.
And here’s a screenshot of a classified ad that expires in 2 days (via Mandy.com):
Todd Drezner (Director/Editor) received his MFA in Film from Columbia University and is the editor of several award winning documentaries which have been shown around the world, including “My Name Is Alan, and I Paint Pictures,” a documentary feature about a schizophrenic street painter, “Mr. Philadelphia,” a biographical documentary about an early 20th Century Philadelphia businessman, and “On the Backs of Giants,” another biographical documentary. Todd has also worked as an editor of commercials, and his work has aired on CNN, Fox News, the History Channel, and NY1. Loving Lampposts is the first feature that Todd has directed.
Having grown up in a family that produced major radio top 40 hits, Lauren Silver (Producer) has worked with her family’s record label ‘amherst records’ and promoted major arena concerts (Chris Rock, No Doubt, George Clinton & the P Funk All Stars, LL Cool J…). Her film career began when she moved to New York City in 2003. With over a dozen fundraising documentaries and corporate films under her belt, Lauren is now freelancing as a Producer and is working on two features slated for release next year. Her current short film, “11 Conversations From the Lower Depths: Cold Turkey,” recently screened at the 2007 HBO New York Latino Film Festival.
Ben Wolf (Director of Photography) has worked as a cinematographer for numerous documentaries, narrative features, television shows, and commercials. His work has been seen on PBS, Bravo, MTV, VH1, American Movie Classics, National Geographic, the Outdoor Life Network, and in theatrical release. His films have won many awards. Ben is currently developing his first narrative feature, “Closed Circuit.”
