The ability to effectively communicate through words is something that comes so naturally to most of us that we don’t even have to think about it. From early childhood, it’s reinforced that if we want something, we need to ask for it. But imagine for a moment, that the words you want to say can’t escape your throat. Instead, they bounce around your mind like a ping pong ball in a match that you can’t win.
That’s the reality for nonspeaking autistic people, whose struggle is seen in director Jerry Rothwell’s intimate documentary The Reason I Jump. Based on the best-selling book written by 13-year-old autistic teen Naoki Higashida, The Reason I Jump profiles incredible young adults from around the world who prove that they are so much more than just a label.
For too long, being “different” has been seen as a problem in our society. Through interviews with five autistic people and their families, they show how beautiful it is to feel so much. Trying to exist in an overstimulated world can be extremely overwhelming at times, which is why many in the documentary have turned to the arts (or jumping on a trampoline) to express themselves. Innate attention to detail adds a unique depth to their understanding of natural sounds and art and the results are humbling and joyous.
Of course, this beautiful view of the world is not without daily hardships. Many in the film express how uncomfortable it is to feel like a prisoner trapped in your own body, a feeling that I can’t even begin to comprehend. For some, their concept of time is scrambled. One young boy’s parent describes his memory as a pool instead of being chronological or in a linear fashion. For example, running through sprinklers as a toddler feels just as familiar and recent as celebrating a 16th birthday.
Winner of the World Cinema Documentary audience award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, The Reason I Jump is a modest yet inspiring watch, offering a new perspective in our continuous quest for total inclusivity.
Distributed by Kino Lorber. Opening at Laemmle Virtual Cinema on Friday, January 8, 2021.
