Title: Envision screening of Life, Animated, Academy Award nominated documentary
Date: June 2016
Venue: Trusteeship Council Chamber
Speakers:
Akiko Ito, Chief, Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations
Amy Harmon, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, The New York Times (moderator)
Roger Ross Williams, Academy Award winning director
Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author
Owen Suskind, star of “Life, Animated”
Cornelia Suskind
Event Summary:
Life, Animated tells the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man with autism who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves into the world of classic Disney animated films. The film is directed by Roger Ross Williams and is based on the 2014 book Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism by Owen’s father, journalist Ron Suskind.
CCOI’s Role:
CCOI organized the screening and panel discussion in partnership with the Independent Filmmaker Project.
Related UN Issues:
Autism awareness
Rights of persons with disabilities
New Coverage:
[UN web TV] Life, Animated Film Screening and Panel Discussion on Autism