True/False Films

How I Am

In person: co-directors Ingrid Demetz & Caroline Leitner and cinematographer Daniel Mazza.

Work in progress. A remarkable, humanist document, How I Am introduces us to Patrick, a teenage autistic boy — and to a talented team of young Italian filmmakers. With indelible imagery, the film follows him at school, with family, and by himself and transcribes his innermost thoughts onto the screen to reveal his point of view, which is normally muffled by his condition. What is revealed is a complex, philosophical soul. This shows one mission that movies can accomplish — giving us insight — not pity, but sympathy — into another's life. Plays with Peter & Ben (dir. Pinny Grylls, 2007, 10 min.), about a man and a sheep who leave the flock; and The Days and Hours (dir. John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson, 2007, 8 min.), about a remarkable church that lets the homeless sleep in the pews. (PS)