Sundance Docs: Nanking and Autism

[Posted by Nicole Sperling] It was an emotional Sunday morning at the Sundance Festival's Holiday Cinemas in Park City. In its world premiere, the documentary “Autism Every Day,” from director Lauren Thierry, screened for a packed audience that included NBC Universal’s chairman and CEO Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne, who are executive producers on the film and co-founders of the Autism Speaks foundation. The two are also grandparents to an autistic boy. The film depicts a day in the life of eight families who are struggling with autistic children, illustrating both the financial and emotional toll this disease takes on families as well as the dedication and love these parents have for their children. At 44 minutes long the film will primarily be used for advocacy and outreach. You can watch a 12 minute clip of the movie at AutismSpeaks.org. .

[Posted by Anne Thompson] Here's the full-length story in THR. And here's my piece on the Sundance competition documentary "Nanking" (pictured above), produced by AOL visionary-turned-filmanthropist Ted Leonsis. As I was writing it yesterday, I started crying, and as I talked about it today on sunny Main Street with Sundance's Documentary Film Program director Cara Mertes, I lost it again. (I'm also a little whacked from lack of sleep.)