Rolling Stone says about Life, Animated, “Instead of false hope, it offers possibility, the chance of a stimulus that might get past the blocks of developmental disorder.”

This refreshing film begins when Owen Suskind is a thriving three-year-old who suddenly and inexplicably goes silent — and for years has remained unable to connect with other people or to convey his thoughts, feelings or desires. Over time, through repeated viewings of Disney classics like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, Owen found useful tools to help him to understand complex social cues and to re-connect with the world around him.

Prior to moving into independent filmmaking, Roger Ross Williams was an acclaimed television journalist and producer for over 15 years for outlets including: TV Nation, ABC News, NBC News, CNN, PBS, Comedy Central, and Sundance Channel. Williams serves on the Alumni Advisory Board of the Sundance Institute. He frequently mentors filmmakers from the developing world and under-represented communities on how to channel personal adversity into their art.