The Sunshine boy

A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism.

Imagine not being able to engage with the world around you. Imagine not being able to express your feelings, dreams and aspirations to anyone, even if those feelings, dreams and aspirations are in no way less or inferior to those of other people. Imagine having to depend upon the assistance of others with every mundane task, like dressing or feeding yourself. Imagine living with all of these limitations, despite being of sound mind — aware of everything that is going on around you but incapable of letting anyone know.

A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism (a.k.a The Sunshine Boy), a documentary by Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, tells the story of Margret, a mother who has done everything in her power to help her son. Keli is eleven years old and is severely autistic – his mother doesn‘t even know if he understands Icelandic, let alone other languages. Even if Margret holds no unrealistic expectations on behalf of Keli, she has the quenchless thirst for knowledge about the mysterious and complex condition that autism undeniably is. Along they way, Margret meets other families and hears their unique stories about how they too have been touched by autism.

On a course set to include the United States and Europe, she meets with scientists in the field of autism and autism therapies and the parents of autistic children who share her passion: to break down the wall between the children and the surrounding world. This journey becomes lengthier and more dramatic than she envisioned at the start. During the trip, she catches a glimpse of hope that her son can be helped to a larger degree than previously assumed.

Perhaps it is possible to break down the wall of autism and get to know the individual behind it?

A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism (a.k.a The Sunshine Boy) is narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet.

Credit list:

Directed by 
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson

Cast
Margrét Dagmar Ericsdóttir – Documentary host

Producers
Margrét Dagmar Ericsdóttir

Associate Producers
Kristin Olafsdottir
John Purdie

Music
Sigur Rós, Björk

Cinematography 
Jón Karl Helgason

Film Editing 
Þuríður Einarsdóttir

Sound Department 
Kjartan Kjartansson