The Horse Boy

The Horse Boy - A Films We Like Release

http://www.horseboymovie.com/

Release Date: November 13th, 2009 (Toronto)

December 17th (Charlottetown)

More Dates To Come

Rated PG

Running time: 93 minutes

Michel Orion Scott (dir.)

Based on the book The Horse Boy, written by Rupert Isaacson

Our reviews below:

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The Horse Boy Review By John C.

***1/2 (out of 4)

In 1963, Maurice Sendak was going to write a book called Where The Wild Horses Are. When it became apparent to him and his editor that he couldn’t draw horses, he changed them to Wild Things. If he had been able to draw horses, than the resulting book would have basically been The Horse Boy. A young boy who keeps having meltdowns, goes to a land of wild horses, and returns all the better for it. The only difference is that in The Horse Boy, the boy doesn’t go there after being banished, but is brought there out of the love of his father.

In 2004, Rupert Isaacson’s 3-year old son, Rowan, was diagnosed with autism. At home, Rowan would continually have meltdowns, and wasn’t even toilet trained. Then his father started to notice the bond he had with a neighbour’s horse, Betsy. In 2007, they took a journey to Mongolia, where they took part in healing ceremonies with Shamans, and rode wild horses.

Credit has to be given to director Michel Orion Scott and his crew, for the surprisingly steady camera work, and beautiful cinematography. This is one of the only autism documentaries that I’ve seen that focuses on the positives, and is actually an ultimately uplifting experience.

Before or after you see the movie, it should be noted that it’s well worth reading Rupert Isaacson’s book of the same name, to gain added perspective into the story. No matter how much you know about autism, this is a documentary that’s worth seeking out.

Click here to read my 2-part interview with Rupert Isaacson, and here to read my 2-part interview with Michel Orion Scott.

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The Horse Boy Review By Erin V.

**** (out of 4)

Before The Horse Boy, I had yet to see a documentary about autism that had an overall positive view. What I really liked about The Horse Boy, was that it showed that while those with, and those living with individuals with, autism, do have specific challenges because of it, but that there are also gifts associated with it.

The documentary follows the Isaacson family, as they take their son Rowan, then 5, on a trip to Mongolia in order to meet with Shamans there, to see if they can help him. Why Mongolia in the first place? Well, back in Texas, where the family lives, Rowan’s father, Rupert, discovered something about his son. He would act way less autistic when on or around horses - as animals, horses in particular, were his interest. Mongolia, it just so happens, is the birthplace of the horse.

The remarkable journey that they took, and the full story really can’t be told quickly here. Watching the film gives you a good concise version of the story, so it is a good place to start. This being said though, I would also definitely recommend reading Rupert Isaacson’s book, also with the same title. The book is a full documentation of their trip, and very well written.

The Horse Boy really accentuates something that I’ve noticed for a long time. Those with autism, are way calmer when outside - away from the busy modern world in which we live, which is so often overwhelming. Maybe it’s just not natural to spend so much time boxed in between walls, with stimulus coming at us from all directions? By allowing children, (and adults), more time outdoors, you can focus on the gifts of autism, rather than the challenges. Essentially, removing even one extra stress trigger can help to break down some of the walls put up by those with autism to try to deal with over-stimulation.

I really liked the message of getting outdoors, but also that you should listen to, and follow, the appropriate special interests of your child. That is the best way for any kid to learn. I would definitely recommend this documentary. It is very interesting, and flows well as a film. The cinematography is also quite beautiful, capturing the vastness of the Mongolian Steppe.

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The Horse Boy Review By Nicole

**** (out of 4)

The Horse Boy is a unique, positive film about a family on an unusual adventure. The boy in the title, Rowan, experiences autism. He struggles with some things, such as difficulty toilet training, and getting easily overwhelmed, but with his autism, comes many gifts. One of these gifts is Rowan's way with animals. When he befriends the neighbour's horse, Betsy, his father, Rupert, has an idea. What if there is a place where horses and healers lived together? The place is Outer Mongolia, where horses run free, and shamans still heal people of their difficulties. Despite his wife's initial hesitation, the whole family heads off to Mongolia for three weeks. Traveling on horseback and by van, the family finds healing through horses, reindeer, meeting shamans, and just by being out in nature. In Mongolia, Rowan makes his first friend. And, as promised by the final shaman, Ghoste, Rowan makes a very important breakthrough.

The Horse Boy is one of the best autism documentaries so far. While it doesn't sugarcoat, it depicts autism as a unique way of being, as opposed to an illness in need of a cure. I found it interesting that, while our society sees autism as a deficit, this is not the case everywhere. Many of the shamans, such as Ghoste, had developmental delays, or are neurologically different. The professionals in this documentary agree that, when you heal the problems related to autism, the gifts can shine through.

One thing I liked about The Horse Boy is that it avoids going for shock value. Many of the more unpleasant moments have been edited for the film. The Horse Boy, whole depicting some of Rowan's very personal moments, is never exploitative, as Rowan was involved in the editing process.

Whether you are affected by autism or not, The Horse Boy is an amazing and uplifting documentary that will warm your heart.

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The Horse Boy Review By Maureen

***1/2 (out of 4)

The Horse Boy is one of the most positive, hopeful documentaries about autism that I've had the pleasure of watching.

Based on the book by the same name, The Horse Boy follows the Isaacson family on their travels to Mongolia to meet Shaman and find healing for their son, Rowan.

'The Horse Boy' never holds back or sugarcoats the reality of having a family member with autism. The meltdowns, the behavioral issues all ring true. What I love about this film is the sense of acceptance Rowan's family has for his autism and all it's challenges. It is also really interesting to see how other cultures perceive differences such as autism.

The scenes in Mongolia are lovely to view with the open fields and the magnificent horses that play such an important role in Rowan's healing. This is a story of how nature, animals and an open mind can change the course of events and lead to healing.

Throughout this film autism experts such as Temple Grandin and Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen share their thoughts and ideas about the realities of autism. Their message was clear - autism isn't something we need to cure, but rather we need to help heal the real challenges individuals and their families face in living with autism.

If you know someone on the autism spectrum, or have an interest in the topic or an interest in animal therapy, specifically with horses then The Horse Boy is a must see.

I feel richer for having watched The Horse Boy and read the book.

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The Horse Boy Review By Tony

*** (out of 4)

The Horse Boy is a documentary based on the book by Rupert Isaacson, a human rights activist and journalist. When his son Rowan was found to be autistic, Rupert and Rowan’s mother Kristin, a psychology professor, went up the usual learning curve in an attempt to find relief. Rowan was classically autistic, largely nonverbal with typical repeated “stimming” (self-stimulating by repeated arm flapping, etc.), frequent severe “volcanic” emotional outbursts and a discouraging disinterest in toilet training. Fortunately, the British-born Isaacson, now based in Austin, Texas, had a lifelong love of horses. Placing Rowan on a horse gave immediate relief. With an interest in traditional healing and shamanism based on his research among the Bushmen and others, he decided to take Rowan on a trip to visit shamans, particularly in Mongolia where a horseback trek would be required.

Fortunately for us reluctant readers, a documentary crew followed the family to provide a sensitive film treatment of the book which carefully respected Rowan’s dignity throughout. Included are comments from autism experts such as Temple Grandin and Simon (cousin of Sasha) Baron-Cohen. Viewers are left to their own conclusions about how much, if any, of Rowan’s progress was due to shamanic ritual or just a result of all the loving interventions of the people and animals around him. The Isaacsons wisely came to accept Rowan’s autism as something they could live with, and the film steers clear of celebrity claims of quack “cures” and the roundly discredited though persistent internet propaganda about autism being caused by vaccinations.

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Consensus: The Horse Boy is an inspirational and uplifting documentary about the fascinating subject of autism, and one of the very best documentaries dealing with the material. ***1/2 (Out of 4)

Part 2: Interview with Michel Orion Scott, of the New Movie The Horse Boy

By John C.

Read part 1 of my 2-part interview here, and check back tomorrow for our reviews of The Horse Boy.

One thing I really liked about this movie is that, unlike in some other documentaries, it didn’t seem like the camera was purposefully shaking. What kind of camera did you use? I used a Canon XHA-1. And that's great to know that it worked well, because there were tons of moments when the camera was really shaking. It was a great camera to work with. I think a lot of times the shaking is intentionally used, since it’s considered a technique to make the audience feel uneasy, or something. Especially since we were on horseback a lot of the time, we did try our best to really minimize it though.

What was it like watching The Horse Boy for the first time with an audience? Well the first time I watched Horseboy with a large audience - it was at Sundance - and I was literally crushing me feet out of fear. I was horrified when it began to play... I thought they are going to hate it, and at the end of it boo. To my surprise, they cheered. They actually loved it! At that point I had so many hugs, so many laughs - I cried with the audience too. To make a film that’s not going to please everyone, but can still make people cry and laugh and change their lives is amazing. Most people have been really supportive. I made a lot of friends through it.

Who are some of your greatest inspirations as a filmmaker? What are your favourite movies? A lot of my inspiration as a filmmaker, comes from nature. I’ve tried to structure most of my career around time and nature, and the healing power of nature. It’s really important to show the beauty and power of just being outside. The landscapes, flowers, the great relief of just being outside the city. I was a dancer, studied dance in college, so thinking about creative movement inside the frame always is something I remember. Also, family dynamics, human emotion - those three things, nature, family, and human emotion are what inspire me.

It wasn't until about 4 months ago that I saw Man on Wire. That was an amazing film that inspired me. I like things that are kind of experimental. In college, I had an arts background - not necessarily in film, but a lot of painting and sculpting. I like things with Latin American influences. The Green Wall, experimental docs like Hybrid...

What are some of the most recent films you’ve seen in theatres? It’s going to sound pretty cliche in a couple of months, but I really liked Where The Wild Things Are, it’s just a beautiful film - it really got into the mind of the child. I have a 7 year old niece, and it really seemed like a 7-year old could have written it. It’s just such an interesting film.

Yes, Where The Wild Things Are was an amazing movie. Then, like I said, Man on Wire was just really well done, Winnebago Man, I was incredibly impressed with... Certainly Where The Wild Things Are, and those documentaries.

What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers? I don’t know if this would be the greatest advice career-wise, but what really helped me in film, was to follow my passions outside of film, and incorporate those into film. Of course, there is the budget, producers, crew, it’s not always fun - not a lot of the time, actually. But really for me, what gets me to keep going through each project is just incorporating it into what I love. Nature, dance... You just have to experiment with things, to adapt to finding inspiration from those things. I try to use my greatest joys in life in the process. And if someone decides that film is not what they want to do, if they pursue other passions, they’ve never really left them. It wouldn’t work for everyone, but that's what keeps me sane in the film world.

Are there any upcoming projects you can tell me about? Well, I’m just finishing with a documentary, that I’m still looking for a distributor for, about Jewish immigration to Bolivia in the late 1930's. It's kind of a story about how these people took this opportunity to get out of Germany, only to be turned away by a lot of countries - with even the USA turning boats back to Austria and Germany. So they went on this exotic journey to find a place to land, and they ended up going to Bolivia. It’s also about how politics in Bolivia have morphed to make these social and political issues of immigrants heard, those of non-indigenous populations. It’s not just about racism, but also about Iran, the rush of the Arab world, the place that the Jewish culture is at in the world, from the 1930's to the present day.

I’d also at some point like to try a narrative - I’m working on a script right now. I have done short films, but it’s one step at a time to get into the world 0f narrative film. I don’t want to rush, I want to make a good film as my first. Sometime in the future.

Is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up? I think we've covered most of it - its been a phenomenal journey. What I’d always wanted to shed light on, is the way we perceive unique individuals and diversity. And how as a society we could actually feel that we don’t have to mould them to fit into what we already have, but actually open a place in society and culture, with others in past and present, fuse their talents, rather than try to morph them to make them so called productive. Autism could be a metaphor for anything. How do we make a place in our culture for unique individuals, rather than try to change them.

One Movie, Five Views thanks Michel Orion Scott for taking the time to do this interviews. Our reviews of The Horse Boy will be up on Friday, November 13th.

Part 1: Interview with Michel Orion Scott, Director of the Movie "The Horse Boy"

By John C.

A few weeks a go I spoke with Michel Orion Scott, director of the new documentary The Horse Boy. The interviews happened over the phone, and we spoke about everything from getting the movie made, to Where The Wild Things Are. Here’s part 1 of the interview. Part 2 is coming tomorrow. You can read my 2-part interview with Rupert Isaacson here, and our reviews of The Horse Boy will be coming this Friday.

Can you tell me about any previous film projects you have worked on? Yeah. I'm new to directing actually, I started working on skating videos, I've done camera work and sound - stuff like that.

How were you approached to direct The Horse Boy? Actually, I met Rupert at a book event that he was doing about the Bushmen in Africa. I was trying to find a shift in my career, and was looking for more projects. I was interested in nature, and about the human rights thing about the Kalahari Bushmen. So, we came up with a plan to make a documentary, but about 3 months into the project, the Bushmen actually won their human rights case, so the urgency for a film about it wasn’t as strong.

So Rupert and I got talking, and he said, ‘Well you know, I also have this thing that I’m going to be doing next summer. I have this strange feeling that we need to go on an adventure with the family. So I’m going to take Rowan to Mongolia, the birthplace of the horse, where we can meet with some Shamans - it might help him. Worst case, it would just be an adventure. So, I’m planning on doing that. Would you like to come?’ As a filmmaker, I said yes, since I knew that even if Rowan wasn’t healed, and it could be horrible for the family, it was a case of stepping outside the box, and it was amazing the love they have for their child. And that's how I got on board.

What was it like accompanying Rupert and his family to Mongolia? It was an incredible challenge. Tech wise, I had to plan for about 6 months. Then when we were in Mongolia, riding and filming at the same time, with saddle bags mounted with sound mixers - it was quite a feat. Jeremy, our sound guy, was actually doing some mixing while riding. It was difficult, but really stunningly beautiful. It was a great adventure for the family - really gratifying. And I tried my best to step back, be a filmmaker, and let the family have the adventure that they did.

How much did you know about autism before making this film? I knew very little before making the film. When Rupert told me about his son, I knew it was a disorder, and that because of it, he would tantrum for hours on end. But when I began to make the film, I read books, and a lot that I learned was from speaking with experts for the film.

I really liked the experts that were chosen to talk about autism. You know it's one of those things that everyone is going to have their own personal theory, but absolutely I went from knowing nothing, to knowing a great deal. Autism - it's still a mystery. We know a lot, but not the best way to treat it, what causes it, etc.

Who made the decisions of who to interview? Those were joint decisions. The first interview we did, was with Temple Grandin. Both Rupert and I were fascinated with the work she was doing, and the fact that she is an autist herself. Then there was Richard Grinker, who’d done articles for The New Yorker, and was an anthropologist, and there was Simon Baron-Cohen, who is one of the best autism experts in the field. So it was really about who knows the most about autism, like Temple Grandin, autistic herself, and then people like Richard Grinker.

What were your favourite moments to film? I had many favourite moments. One that really sticks out in my mind, was when Rowans crying, with his hands over his eyes, and Rupert sits down and says ‘I f***ed up’. We had turned an amazing adventure into something horrible. We needed to stop thinking as an adult, and do this trip for Rowan. It was a turning point. As a filmmaker, I was thinking, ‘What is the point behind this? They were going to make the greatest effort for their child, and that’s when you know what this film is going to be amazing, because these parents, that's what this was about. How far you would you go for someone you love?’ Some of my other favourite moments were in Ghoste’s tent, the first Shaman ceremony, and the wonderful cinematography there is out there.

...and what were some of the hardest moments? The second day of riding was physically the hardest. I was pushing myself to get every single detail I could possibly get, holding the camera in one hand, the reins in the other. By the second day I kind of had to take a break. So I was lying on the ground, and Rowan would come over and walk on my back, and I was sore and it felt so great. It was the second or third day - I can't remember which. Other hard moments were whenever Rupert and Kristen were at serious lows. To see Rupert and Kristen at Lake Charga going up and down, thinking about maybe Rowan will be healed, maybe not, and to see Rupert on the verge of tears. As a filmmaker, despite being objective, they were becoming friends of mine.

How much footage did you actually shoot, compared to the running time of the movie? We shot about 200 hours of footage, so yeah. That was a lot of editing to do, considering that the actual film was only about 95 minutes...

Come back tomorrow for part 2, where I asked questions about what it was like watching the movie with an audience, and what his greatest inspirations are as a filmmaker.

Part 2: Interview with Rupert Isaacson on the Book & Movie "The Horse Boy"

By John C.

Here is part 2 of my 2-part interview with Rupert Isaacson, author of the book and subject of the new documentary, The Horse Boy. Read part 1 here, and check back tomorrow for part 1 of my interview with The Horse Boy director Michael Orion Scott.

What were some of you favourite moments from this incredible journey of getting the film made, and the book written?

Well, for Kristen and I, I think the most defining moment was seeing Rowan do his first intentional poo, because if you soil your pants every 20 hours, you’re going to have no friends and a lot of trouble in the world. Once that dysfunction went, we were all so relieved. Also, I would have to say, seeing him make his first friend, and seeing the tantrums go. So, the whole thing was amazing, very bonding. Ghoste the Shaman said that we should do something with some type of healers at least once a year for 3 years, so we were in Africa last year, and then in Australia this year. We still see the leaps forward, all the while still doing Western therapies. This coming year we will probably be doing it in North America, with Native Americans. When you take these adventures with the family, it bonds you, and then, autism, this thing that people say will shut you down, becomes a very beautiful thing.

Are there any upcoming book or film projects you can tell us about?

We are filming, and we do continue to film, every healing journey we make. Will indeed Rowan get gradually less autistic until he's 9, like the Shamans said? Right now we're living that journey.

How have people been receiving the film?

I'm not a filmmaker, I'm a guy who made a film. I find that critics are in two camps. One side are saying ‘they’re exploiting their child, what about child privacy, etc.’, but those people are not in the position that we were in, and I hope that they never find themselves in that position. Critically, it doesn't matter, it’s more important that it helps people.

Did you see the film at Hot Docs?

I did go to Hot Docs.

Was it well received there?

Very much so. It's funny because most of the people in the audience were connected to autism, whether it’s a friend of theirs, or a family member. It’s present in 1 in 54 babies born now, I think. So, most of the questions we got were very practical. The audience asked the kinds of questions one would get around the dinner table.

What we really liked about this film was that it is one of the few really positive portrayals of autism.

Absolutely, it's a big scary thing, but that's only part of the story. There are also incredible gifts,and the in next film we want to explore, ‘what are these gifts?’. We’ve had the opportunity to meet with adults and young adults, all successful, in their own rites.

There are a lot of other, particularly fictional, films about autism, and Aspergers, coming out recently. Have you seen any of these films, and what do you think of them?

Well, I think it is a very big topic right now, because of the prevalence rate. I don't really have an opinion of it. If it gets people aware of it, then it's good. There are quite a lot coming out right know, in so many forms. Because autism is case by case, each one that's different, reflects the diversity. They all represent someone. Everyone’s different, that’s why you can try 30 therapies, before you find the one that works.

Specifically there were the two films Adam, and the animated one from Australia, Mary & Max.

I actually saw both those films at Sundance, and again, what both of those films do show, is that both of these people go on to lead interesting lives of their own. All of that aside though, Mary & Max is worth seeing even just for the interesting animation.

And also from what I’ve heard, Phillip Seymore Hoffman’s voice work is just spot-on.

Yes, he is excellent. It’s also just a wonderfully funny film.

Is there anything else you’d like to add today?

Perhaps just if people do have questions, they can contact us at www.horseboyfoundation.org, and if they want to see where the movies coming on, they can check out www.horseboymovie.com where the list of theatres playing it will be updated periodically. I suppose the distribution company in Canada, Films We Like, will have it on their site as well. People can definitely contact us. You guys in Canada I think, are quite lucky, since you do have so much nature around.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today.

It's my pleasure, thank you for calling.

One Movie, Five Views thanks Rupert Isaacson for taking the time for this interview. You can read our reviews of the film coming this Friday, November 13th, 2009.

Part 1: Interview with Rupert Isaacson on the Book & Movie "The Horse Boy"

By John C.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with Rupert Isaacson, author of The Horse Boy and subject of the new documentary. The interviews happened over the phone, and we spoke about everything from getting the movie made and book written, to what parents of autistic kids can do to help their children. Here’s part 1 of the interview. Part 2 is coming tomorrow.

Being familiar with autism and Aspergers on a personal level, what we all really liked about the book and movie is your feelings towards autism and it’s place in our society. Did you feel the same way before you took the journey to Mongolia?

I think I was definitely getting there. I had finished that feeling of grief that comes with the initial diagnoses, and had really started to see the gift of autism. What really solidified it in Mongolia, was seeing that people in other cultures really don’t see these differences as something to be fixed. It’s not like they just make a place in society because they have to, it is that this is seen as a different set of skills. There is no question that these are valuable individuals. In our culture, it is like there is no place, and there for it’s more about, how can we change you. Seeing other societies, and how they make a shift, is a very beautiful thing to see first hand.

How much did you know about Autism before Rowan’s diagnosis?

Not much. I’d gone to a Waldorf school when I was a kid, and there had been a couple of autistic kids there. Both of them were math geniuses, but they also had severe behavior issues. Now this was a while back, so they hadn’t as much knowledge about how to help them. Sort of, they were still trying to make square pegs go in round holes...

Was there a turning point for you when you realized that you weren’t going to cure your son, and realized that that was okay?

Very much so, because one of the great things about hanging out with healers is that you get a very good distinction between heal and cure. Chronic conditions are not cured. What you want to do, is annihilate the symptoms so they are no longer a dysfunction, no longer a problem. Healing means getting to a point where you have the positives, not the negative. Once you can focus on the positives, the gifts that come with autism allow you to see it as not a bad or good thing, just a way of being.

Has your son, Rowan, seen the movie, and what does he think about seeing himself on screen?

Rowan actually was very much a part of re-watching a lot of the footage with us. It actually really helped him get a different perspective - the social perspective of watching people - and how they related to him, others and each other. Actually, a lot of therapists use video for autistic kids to help them watch how they are interacting. So, participating was sort of that thing for him, and we would ask his opinion of which things should stay, or which should go. Sitting there with him in the editing room, that was really beautiful.

What challenges did you face getting the trip to Mongolia organized, and how did the book and movie come to be?

It's easier to understand if you think about that in film, you can only show what you have footage of. Back in ‘04, I did human rights work with the Bushmen in Africa. So it was somewhat familiar to me about the healers there, I had seen people get sick and then get better with their help. Anyway, I had to bring a delegation of Bushmen to the United Nations, where they were going to talk about illegal beatings and torture tied into the diamond mines.

It was there that their trained healers met Rowan. They offered to do work with him. They don't need a degree to be qualified to do this, but the laying on hands can’t hurt him, so we figured to give it a go. For the 3 to 5 days they were with him, his behaviors lessened, he started pointing, and acting calmer. But, when they went back and we went home, all of the symptoms came back. It was shortly after this, that Rowan met Betsy. It was then that his language started and on the horse, I saw the same leaps forward, if temporary that we saw with the Bushmen. I thought about bringing him to Africa, but his thing was horses. It was then that I though, where’s there a horse culture that is combined with healing? Mongolia.

That was 2004,when he was still too young to make the journey. Now, I'm a writer, so I knew that I wanted to write about it. Still, other parents could not verify that what I wrote was true, so I spoke to Michael Scott, a filmmaker friend, who was initially going to make a film in Botswana, where there was the massive problems with torture. But in 2006, we actually won the case in Botswana for the Bushmen, which slightly lowered the need for a film, because they had the land back. So, I told him we were planning a trip in a year, once Rowan was big enough, to Mongolia. I said he should come along, so that if there were changes in Rowan’s behavior, it would be documented, and if not, I think the value of it being on film, would just add to the general body of knowledge about autism. The fact that it helped, doesn't mean that every parent should go to Mongolia, that was very special to us, but they should rather take their child’s interests, and see where that leads them. That was the initial motivation of getting it on film, but never in a million years, did we imagine that it would be opening in movie theatres across the world.

Was it difficult to have your son filmed at his most vulnerable moments? It must have been a fine line to draw between wanting to share your story, and protecting your son’s privacy.

The thing about once you enter that kind of life with autism, is that everywhere you go, the street, the supermarket, every autism parent is out there all the time being judged as bad parents. People will come up and tell you that you have bad parenting skills, try to hit your child, it can get really, really bad. The only information is from others, and if you get good result somewhere, you should make that knowledge available for other parents. If you have no problems, you don't have a kid with autism. So, you don’t think of privacy or not, you don’t have that luxury to not have to worry about public behavior. The thing is, we get contacted by so many parents. Usually by e-mail, we get as many as 30 a day. It’s so different from before Mongolia. We have parents wanting to know what therapeutic riding places we know of close to them, what we can tell them, etc. Once you enter the world of autism, the initial reaction might be that your freedom is over, and ideas about what you expected for your child can go out the window, but you have to make new plans and come to terms with it.

How is your riding therapy program going, and how many kids do you have coming to the program?

It’s going well. We have about 20 coming a week. It’s not just the kids though, it’s the whole family. One of the things that was very clear was that going out to nature with the family really helps everyone out a lot. I lived up in Canada for a little while, and what impressed me is that a lot more families take camping trips together. They go up to Algonquin Park for a weekend for example, so a lot of Canadian kids grow up with a culture of doing that, and a knowledge in nature, and I really saw a value with that. So, the families are coming, are here for relaxing, it's not all structured. You aren’t told, ‘ok. You have an appointment at 10:00, by 10:30, bugger off!’. Especially on the first visit, everyone's invited to explore. We have hiking, playrooms, other animals, and the horses are a component of that. It doesn't matter if a kid gets on a horse on the first day.

What we have learned, is that the terrible tantrums happen in an overloaded neurological state. Once they are out of the man made environment and into nature, a lot of the things that are causing the overload are removed. The family can all calm down together, and it is then that you really see the intellect come out. We often invite people to bring their child’s therapists along, and we ask them to try the therapy, that they would usually do in a room, on a trampoline, under a tree, etc. It is here that you often see more effectiveness and response.

When people enroll their kids in the program, do they unrealistically expect their kids to be cured of their autism?

No one does, actually. Autism parents are very savvy people. About a year into the process, people within the autism community know what they're dealing with, and they want to lessen the bad effects and issues, not a cure.

What advice would you give to parents of kids with autism, who are feeling at a loss and don’t know what to do?

What I’d say is, follow your child’s interest. I was actively trying to keep Rowan away from Betsy at first, but he kept on running up to her. The thing is, that those who are nonverbal, the only way they can tell you what they want, is to show you. If a kid is going to a particular TV show, bicycles, steam trains, horses, etc., don't try to make your child be where they don’t want to be, instead trust your parental instincts.

The main thing though, is to get them into nature. It can be the garden, the city park, even the local state park. You don’t have to bring them up to Wood Bison National Park, it can just be local. Just try the therapies there. Try those things and whatever therapies, and remember, you don't have to be an extremist. We are not born again Shamans, we still do western therapies.

Come back tomorrow for part 2, where I asked questions about what were some of Rupert’s favourite moments from this incredible journey, and how the film was received at HotDocs in Toronto.

Trailer Watch: Fantastic Mr. Fox, (Untitled) and The Horse Boy

Apple Movie Trailers now has an exclusive featurette for Wes Anderson’s upcoming film Fantastic Mr. Fox. This is a must-watch as it’s always fun to see the behind the scenes of stop-motion. Watch it here. The film opens on November 13th.

Anyone who loves laughing at the expense of pretentious modern “art” is sure to get a kick out of the new film (Untitled). This is one of the funniest trailers I’ve seen, I personally think this film looks absolutely brilliant. See the trailer here. The film opens on October 23rd in the US, and hopefully, Canada.

Autism is an ever rising hot-topic in the world of documentary film making. The Horse Boy is the story of one father’s quest to help his autistic son, through taking him on an epic journey through Outer Mongolia. As the story has already been documented in a popular book, this is sure to be a documentary that will have people talking. Watch the trailer here. Films We Like is distributing the film in Canada, and it will likely open on October 23rd.

-John C.