This film is presented in partnership with Ascendigo Autism Services. "There's a gap between what I'm thinking and what I'm saying. It's like a reflex reacting to what I've just seen in some cases. Or to some old memories. As if I'm drowning in a flood of words. The big exception is words or phrases I'm familiar with. Like playing a game of catch with a ball.- Naoki Higashida&nbsp; 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 distils 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.&nbsp; To view the TRAILER, click here: <a href="https://4f399d350e4882ff73b9-0f00c87f9e216dcd5acfbe5f7dfb64d7.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/production/trailers/d8fd38db-ca61-4d9a-a9de-678431b8e07b.mp4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://4f399d350e4882ff73b9-0f00c87f9e216dcd5acfbe5f7dfb64d7.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/production/trailers/d8fd38db-ca61-4d9a-a9de-678431b8e07b.mp4</a> DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Naoki Higashida’s descriptions of a world without speech provoke us to think differently about autism. For most of history, nonspeaking autistic people have been considered less than human: ostracized within communities, banished to institutions, even in some ages and places, killed en masse. Stigma is still a feature of most autistic people’s lives. But Naoki’s evocative descriptions of the maelstrom of thoughts, feelings, impulses and memories which affect his every actions lead us, as David Mitchell writes in his introduction ​to THE REASON I JUMP​, to understand that “inside the... autistic body is a mind as curious, subtle and complex as any.” Naoki debunks the ideas often held about the autistic spectrum - that at one end there are geniuses and at the other fools. Instead he describes a magnificent constellation of different ways of experiencing reality, which for the most part, are filtered out by the neurotypical world. For a filmmaker, this offers an opportunity to use the full potential of cinema to evoke these intense sensory worlds in which meaning is made through sounds, pictures and associations, as well as words. While no film can replicate human experience, my hope is that ​THE REASON I J​UMP ​can encourage an audience into thinking about autism from the inside, recognizing other ways of sensing the world, both beautiful and disorientating. I hope the film takes audiences on a journey through different experiences of autism, leaving a strong sense of how the world needs to change to become fully inclusive. - JERRY ROTHWELL, 2019 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Autism is a neurological variation that occurs in about one percent of the population. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ​Autism Spectrum Disorder​ is a group of complex disorders related to brain development. The word ‘spectrum’ is used because there is no set characteristic, gene, or biological marker expressed consistently by every autistic person. Common markers of autism include variations in communication and social interaction, and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. However, every autistic individual is different. The formal diagnosis of ASD has changed significantly with research and science, and will continue to evolve. Look at “​Understanding the Spectrum​” to see a visual representation of the spectrum. ApraxiaApraxia is the inability to initiate, stop or slow down a sequence of movements on demand. It affects the motor planning process it takes to execute movement. DysregulationWhen an autistic is triggered by an external or internal stimulus that causes their baseline level of a regulated state to become no longer balanced Identify-first LanguageIdentify-first language refers to identifying language where the condition, in this case “autism,” comes before other descriptors, like “autistic person” or “Deaf person.” ​Many autistic people prefer identity-first language in contrast to people-first language, which places the person before the condition or diagnosis, as in, “person with a disability.” As with any group that faces stigma or marginalization, the best way to get identity language ‘right’ is to ask and then honor a person’s individual preference with regard to how they identify themselves. Minimally SpeakingAn individual who is minimally speaking can communicate longer and deeper thoughts by effectively pointing to letters in order to spell, and can communicate some basics with speech. NonspeakingNonspeaking refers to individuals who do not have speech as a reliable or consistently reliable means to communicate their true thoughts. Use of speech is a motor skill, not a measure of an individual’s capacity for comprehension or communication. “Nonspeaking autistic” is the language preference of the people whose stories are being told in THE REASON I JUMP. It is identify-first and is preferred over “non verbal,” since “verbal” in Latin translates to “without words.” Though they do not use speech to communicate, the people in the book and the film do have a lot to say. Neurodiversity&nbsp;This term refers to the myriad ways in which brains function differently from what is considered ‘typical,’ without assigning judgment to those differences. Autism is one form of neurodiversity. NeurotypicalRefers to brains that function within the ranges of what is statistically considered to be within the range of ‘normal.’ Unreliably SpeakingAn individual who is an unreliable speaker is not always able to use speech to communicate everything they want to say but wants others to know that they appreciate their effort to connect and recognize that they can’t always know if there is more to share. REFERENCES The Human's Guide to Supporting AutisticsWritten by Autistic Subject Matter Experts: Adam Farrell, Alex Cormaney, Charlie Colligan, David Knight, Gordy Baylinson, Ian Nordling, Nick Moore Autistic Self Advocacy NetworkThe Significance of Semantics: Person-First Language: Why It Matters

THE REASON I JUMP

Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive film exploring the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world.

Learn more about Ascendigo Autism Services.

THE REASON I JUMP - Ascendigo Autism Services Mission Film

There will be a pre-recorded Q&amp;A after the film featuring Ascendigo Autism Services President + CEO Peter Bell, and Aspen Film's Executive + Artistic Director, Susan Wrubel. &nbsp;<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4MokECPgQuWaY2BL7gepL4XcJqr_59TBvZNrSk_qdnzC7OrM9ZL-wNrEod4-r0d9p5T9i5topQZofl7vL6JYgY-cApg9uhqP3O8y5RRBxD4vHbugNntqL8DTjDVe3vv1-Npn35WJ" width="369" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> PETER BELLAs an advocate and father of a young man with autism, Peter has been a highly effective leader and a powerful voice within the autism community. Prior to becoming the President and CEO of Ascendigo in May 2017, Peter and his wife Liz served on Ascendigo’s Board of Directors. Most recently he served as President and CEO of Eden Autism based in Princeton, New Jersey. Prior to Eden, he was executive vice president for Autism Speaks where he championed several public policy changes and established the family services division. From 2004 to 2007, he served as President and CEO of Cure Autism Now, one of the country’s first autism advocacy organizations to focus on the science of autism. There he championed the passage of the federal Combating Autism Act of 2006 and 2011, launched autism insurance reform that led to the passage of mandates in over 35 states, and established the Autism Treatment Network (ATN). Peter’s career also includes a White House appointment to the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities by President Barack Obama, founding and chairing the Consumer Advisory Committee of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), and serving as the Vice-Chair of the Autism Research Program for the Department of Defense. In 2014, Peter received the INSAR Advocate Award for his commitment to research, advocacy, and services for people with autism spectrum disorders. Peter earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS in Hotel Administration at Cornell University. He and his wife Liz have three children. “Our vision at Ascendigo is to build upon a proven model that allows individuals with autism to thrive, reaching their potential within the communities where they live, work and play, regardless of their challenges.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________ <img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gv31IDl_j4joGIc370EsnUcWv8Rki-OKLYPqELktHC25RlRHSLrisGewRIv_b68a9IuYlyciVrrdEom2dOaVO8Eg9RAm-fUSCb-nFWWnbNswhp98PGah4CWOv3tsDniim5R_0aAk" width="300" style="margin-left:0px;margin-top:0px;"> SUSAN WRUBELSusan Wrubel is a seasoned entertainment industry executive and film producer who has served in a number of capacities throughout an extensive and multi-faceted career in the global film industry, including: film acquisitions, sales, development, production, marketing, and distribution.&nbsp;Before joining Aspen Film, Susan was working with New York-based CinePointe Advisors, a film/television advisory group, providing strategic guidance and support to producers, financiers and production companies on packaging, sales, distribution and financing. She was also closely affiliated with LA-based Hyperion Media Group, an entertainment entity that develops, finances and produces film, TV and gaming content. Additional past clients include Back Up Films, Paris; UK-based international foreign sales agency The Salt Co; Orange Entertainment, an LA-based rep for international distributors; Pimienta Productions, and online film finance website, Slated.&nbsp;She served as the Head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Paramount Classics, overseeing domestic international territorial acquisitions, as well as evaluating projects at script stage for co-production both in the US and abroad. From 1996-2000, she ran the theatrical division of New Yorker Films, where she worked with world-class international filmmakers.&nbsp;Additionally, Susan spent some time in the non-profit arena curating project selection and as industry liaison for New York-based Independent Feature Project’s (IFP) No Borders 45-project, international co-production market from 2010-2013, as well as producing the 2012 edition of the IFP’s Gotham Independent Film Awards. From 2007-2010, she oversaw the Miami International Film Festival’s panel and seminar series, and handled the industry side of their Encuentros co-production market. She also advised the Rio International Film Festival on US feature film selection, and participated in their industry initiatives.&nbsp;Susan is a co-executive producer on THEY, which premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. In addition, she was an executive producer on MAGGIE’S PLAN, which was released by Sony Pictures Classics in May 2016; executive producer on LA TIMES, which had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival; Tribeca and Berlin award-winner JUNCTION 48, and the Netflix Original doc I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD on DJ Steve Aoki, as well as co-executive producer on Hyperion’s THE HALLOW which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film. She was also a production executive on the film STILL ALICE.

THE REASON I JUMP Q&A - featuring Ascendigo Autism Services President & CEO Peter Bell,  and Aspen Film's Executive + Artistic Director, Susan Wrubel.

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THE REASON I JUMP & THE REASON I JUMP Q&A

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Founded in 1979 by Ellen Kohner Hunt, Aspen Film seeks to enlighten, enrich, educate, and entertain through film. Throughout its history Aspen Film has been creating unique and memorable experiences for both the serious cinephile and casual movie lover.

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