The Reason I Jump

Synopsis

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 into an intense and overwhelming, but often joyful, sensory universe.

Acutely observed moments in the lives of each of the characters are connected by passages from Naoki’s writing, in which a young Japanese boy journeys through an epic landscape, gradually discovering what his autism means to him, how his perception of the world differs, and why he acts in the way he does: the reason he jumps.

Director Biography

Jerry Rothwell’s work includes the award-winning feature documentaries How to Change the World, Sour Grapes, Town of Runners, The School in the Cloud, Donor Unknown, Heavy Load, and Deep Water. His films have won numerous accolades, including two Grierson Awards, a Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award, an RTS Award, an IDA Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund grant, and a BAFTA nomination.