In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families.
Joshua Pitney (aka "JP"), a sophomore at Pepperdine University, made Infinite, a 7-minute narrative film. It depicts an autistic student who come to accept his identity. It won several awards at the Christian Online Film Festival.
Samantha Bravo at The Malibu Times:
‘Infinite’ just became an official selection of the International Christian Film & Music Festival
“Infinite,” a short film produced by Pepperdine University sophomore Joshua Pitney and senior Autumn Johnson, has won several awards at the 65th Christian Online Film Festival.
Pitney wrote and directed the film, which depicts an autistic student who comes to accept his identity. Originally developed for a Screen Arts Production 2 class, the project is inspired by Pitney’s own experiences.
“I am on the autism spectrum, and I strive to tell authentic neurodiverse stories,” said Pitney. “So, this assignment was an opportunity for me to showcase correct autism representation. I was also able to pull in my own experiences of struggling with my identity and realizing I was made just the way God intended for me to be.”
The 7-minute film garnered accolades for Best Student Film (Joshua Pitney, Autumn Johnson), Best Actor (Kyle Burnett – Charlie The Student), Best Actor Supporting (Jack Pitney – The Teacher), Best Music & Sound (Kyle Simpson, Nolan Ause), and Best Villain (Carlos Gomez – Casey The Bully).
A screen arts major, Pitney selected a crew of nearly all Pepperdine students to create “Infinite,” and he credits the university for supporting his cinematic and personal journeys.
