Oscar winning director Roger Ross Williams[1] is honored for another important film—“Life, Animated.” This is the story of Owen Suskind’s thrilling journey. Owen stopped talking at age-3. His parents were broken-hearted, but they never wavered in their loving care for Owen, who was diagnosed with autism.
Then came the breakthrough! Father Ron Suskind[2] was trying to make Owen happy by playing with a Disney character puppet. Suddenly, Ron was stunned to hear Owen’s long-muted lips give a clear and perfect voice to the character’s words—straight out of the movie! Owen had memorized dozens of Disney animated movie scripts—thousands of lines of his favorite characters! And Owen could recite the dialogue at will.
In short order, it became clear. Owen can communicate! All the while, as Owen watched Disney movies without speaking about them, he was absorbing a great deal. After his dad’s puppet show, Owen began to use the words of the animated characters that spoke to him.
Owen is an independent adult now, holding two jobs. He has many gifts[3]. He is an accomplished painter, and he speaks to others about his experiences. Seeing Owen with his father Ron, it’s clear that the wonder of sound and light came crashing back in the Suskind world. Now they deal with the world on terms we all can relate to—parental love is animated by a child’s amazing gifts. Now they communicate!
One thing that father Ron Suskind observes about his autistic son is that he can only tell the truth. “It’s like Jim Carey in ‘Liar, Liar,”[4] he said. Owen has no choice. Thank you, Owen, for being who you are, a vessel bearing many gifts—and truth.
Owen Suskind is a true hero. He emerged from the lonely abyss of autism, and he is finding a way for his affinity to have a powerful and positive impact on others. Owen’s favorite Disney characters are the cartoon sidekicks, like Iago, the parrot partner to the villain Jafar in “Aladdin.” Owen shows us that everyone in our world can make a big difference, no matter how we are cast in the script.
Roger Ross Williams is the first African American director to win an Oscar. (“Music by Prudence,” 2010 Academy Award® for documentary short subject.) This year, no black artists have been nominated for Oscar consideration. The Bentari Project recognizes the high art that has been created and performed by our worthy brothers and sisters of African heritage. We are all Africans.
Image: Roger Ross Williams, recognized at the Sundance Film Festival 2016 as Best Director (U.S. documentary) for “Life, Animated”
[1] Filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ website: http://www.rogerrosswilliams.com/
[2] Author Ron Suskind’s official website: http://ronsuskind.com/
[3] Read about the Autism Affinities Project at: http://lifeanimated.net/
[4] See: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/1/27/roger_ross_williams_the_first_black