Life, Animated tells the remarkable story of how Owen Suskin, diagnosed with autism, found in Disney animation a pathway to language and a framework for making sense of the world. By evocatively interweaving classic Disney sequences with verité scenes from Owen’s life, the film explores how identification and empathy with characters like Simba, Jafar, and Ariel forge a conduit for him to understand his feelings and interpret reality.
Beautiful, original animations further give form to Owen’s fruitful dialogue with the Disney oeuvre as he imagines himself heroically facing adversity in a tribe of sidekicks. With an arsenal of narratives at his disposal, Owen rises to meet the challenges of adulthood in this moving coming-of-age tale.