Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, The Reason I Jump is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. The film blends Higashida’s revelatory insights into autism, written when he was just 13, with intimate portraits of five remarkable young people. It opens a window for audiences into an intense and overwhelming, but often joyful, sensory universe.
Moments in the lives of each of the characters are linked by the journey of a young Japanese boy through an epic landscape; narrated passages from Naoki’s writing reflect on what his autism means to him and others, how his perception of the world differs, and why he acts in the way he does: the reason he jumps. The film distills these elements into a sensually rich tapestry that leads us to Naoki’s core message: not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say.
We have three autistic-friendly screenings where the film will be accompanied by a special subtitle stream which will include both subtitling of dialogue as well as warnings of potentially challenging or difficult moments within the film itself. These warnings will focus on moments that could be challenging from a visual, aural, and emotional perspective and will be accompanied by guidance text and symbols alerting viewers to the imminent approach of any such moments. In addition to this, low lights are left on in the auditorium and the volume will be slightly reduced.
