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The Stimming Pool

The Stimming Pool

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Kevin Harley

Working as the Neurocultures Collective, five young artists on the autism spectrum join film-maker Steven Eastwood to stretch the documentary form with this eye-opening film. Experimental and engaging, the result aims to show how the world might look from the viewpoints of people with autism. Cult-cinema aficionado Robin Elliott-Knowles presents his animated zombie horror as a long-lost B-movie at a film club. Sam Chown Ahern questions the language used in a diagnostic test, while a girl nearby reads a story about a border collie with calming powers. Another group member then plays the part of this dog, the contributors' stories merging to form a composite picture of individual experiences. Linking themes and motifs include "stimming", the repetitive movements that autistic people can find soothing. Elsewhere, the film-makers touch on "masking", the act of concealing one's identity to blend in with neurotypical society. Climaxing with the group united in an empty swimming pool, this richly inventive and inquisitive film gives their unmasked creativity an environment to shine in.

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Credits

Crew

rolenameDirectorSam Chown-AhernDirectorGeorgia Kumari BradburnDirectorBenjamin BrownDirectorRobin Elliot-KnowlesDirectorLucy WalkerDirectorSteven Eastwood

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Details

Released on

2025-03-28

Languages

English

Guidance

Violence, swearing.

Formats

Colour

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