Irish Film Institute -THE REASON I JUMP

THE REASON I JUMP

Director: Jerry Rothwell

82 mins, UK, 2020, Digital


This film contains a sequence of flashing lights which might affect customers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

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 thirteen, with intimate portraits of five remarkable young people. 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 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, that not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say.

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