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Aspen, CO (January 6, 2021): Aspen Film, in partnership with Ascendigo Autism Services, present the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner THE REASON I JUMP, available for streaming beginning Friday, January 8. Each stream is $12 and can be purchased at AspenFilm.org. After purchasing, viewers will have seven days to start watching and once started, 24 hours to finish watching. Following the film, there will be a pre-recorded Q&A featuring Ascendigo Autism Services President & CEO Peter Bell, and Aspen Film’s Executive + Artistic Director, Susan Wrubel.

Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. The film blends Higashida’s revelatory insights into autism, written when he was just 13, with intimate portraits of five remarkable young people. It opens a window for audiences into an intense and overwhelming, but often joyful, sensory universe.

Moments in the lives of each of the characters are linked by the journey of a young Japanese boy through an epic landscape; narrated passages from Naoki’s writing reflect on what his autism means to him and others, how his perception of the world differs, and why he acts in the way he does: the reason he jumps. The film distills these elements into a sensually rich tapestry that leads us to Naoki’s core message: not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say.

Ascendigo Autism Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in the Roaring Fork Valley near Aspen. They provide opportunities for growth and independence for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Beginning in 2004 with summer sports camp (formerly Extreme Sports Camp), Ascendigo has since expanded to offer employment services, in-home behavioral therapy, and life coaching.

WHAT:  THE REASON I JUMP

WHEN:  Available for streaming beginning January 8 at 8:00 am MST

WHERE:  AspenFilm.org

TICKETS:  $12