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On Tuesday, May 11, the PBS series INDEPENDENT LENS presents THE HORSE BOY, Michel Orion Scott’s remarkable new documentary about Rupert Isaacson and Kristina Neff’s unorthodox journey with their autistic son and the miracle they find through horses — first on their Texas farm and then in the outer reaches of Mongolia. Rupert Isaacson, who has also written a book about the experience and now runs a learning center, The Horse Boy Foundation, is available for interview as is the filmmaker, Michel Orion Scott. http://www.horseboymovie.com
The Horse Boy does more than chronicle Rowan and his parents' journey across the vast, wild landscape of Mongolia. It delves into the strange world of autism itself, the relationship between humans and animals and between different cultures and different ways of being (autistic vs. normal, or "neuro-typical"), and the nature of healing. Audiences hear the varied theories on autism from the experts in the field, well-known researchers of autism such as Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge University; Dr. Temple Grandin, recovered autist and professor of animal behavior at Colorado State University; and anthropologist and researcher Roy Richard Grinker of George Washington University. But above all, The Horse Boy tells the story of a couple that goes to the end of the earth to find a way into their son's life.
A Father/Son StoryMore and more films are being made about the vital role that fathers play in the development of their children. Society is entering a new era of parenting, when fathers, instead of being emotionally distant breadwinners, are stepping up to the plate of direct, hands-on parenting. The special bond between father and son is one of the greatest gifts life can offer. The Horse Boy tells this story. |
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