Maxim Thompson explains his autistic journey, interest in autistic people in the media, and his upcoming documentary on music therapy and autistic children.

Show notes:

Operation Syncopation is premiering Monday 23rd October at Cambridge Film Festival, check out more information and book tickets here.

“This ground-breaking documentary follows Professor Amelia Oldfield as she revisits ten families who received music therapy from her over fifteen years ago, and explores the impact of the therapy on the life trajectories of young people with autism. Mixing archive footage from the original research, recordings of the sessions with Amelia Oldfield and the families, and specially shot interviews with Anglia Ruskin University music therapists, Operation Syncopation offers an unprecedented window into the work of the music therapist and the development of ways for parent and child to communicate. Directed by Maxim Thompson, who was one of Professor Oldfield’s patients as a child.”

 

This is our short introductory episode, which explains a little bit about Sarah and Odai’s backgrounds, and the position statements of the podcast.

You can listen to the podcast below or download the MP3 directly.

Show Notes:

Position Statement 1: Autism is an ordinary variant of human neurology and is not an illness, disorder or even a condition.

Position Statement 2: Autism is autism is autism, and we are one people.

Position Statement 3: Because of the nature of autism, a cure is unlikely, highly undesirable, and all resources currently being put towards a cure should be redirected elsewhere.

Position Statement 4: Autism is not what disables us – we live in a society that disables us.

Position Statement 5: Being autistic does not give us the right to be a dick or to reject personal development.