The autistic personality

Autism has been flavour of the month in the film world for a few years. Movies like Rain Man and Snow Cake portrayed people with autism as holy innocents and savants. More recent movies have characters with more depth, and defining characteristics other than autism.

In My Name is Kahn for example, the lead character is just as important for his Muslim faith as for his autism. Adam is primarily about a romantic relationship. Movies  like The Horse Boy focus on families looking for ways to help their autistic children. As our viewing matures, so hopefully does our view of what it is like to be autistic.

Mercury Rising, I am Sam, and The Other Sister are some more recent film featuring autistic characters. There is also a movie based on the book Mozart and the Whale.

You can find out more about autism and Asperger Syndrome in the Source:

• Global Issues in Context
• Health and Wellness Resource Centre

But wait, there’s more! The Christchurch Writers Festival returns

It’s not just the Christchurch Arts Festival back on deck – the Christchurch Writers Festival, ‘quaked out not once but twice, rises from the rubble with some great sessions at the Christchurch Arts Festival in August.

Best-selling crime writers Tess Gerritsen and John Hart will spend an hour Setting the Stage for Murder on 21 August at the TelstraClear Club in the Events Village in Hagley Park.

Five writers with strong Canterbury links will also be Putting Words to the Feelings about the earthquakes on Sunday 18 September at 1 pm.  Fiona Farrell, Tusiata Avia, Carl Nixon, Joanna Preston and Charlottte Randall will be reflect on  their experiences and on how the reimagined landscape will emerge within their writing, also at the TelstraClear Club.