Attention
Think
Unexpected
Attention Think Unexpected
BALMACEDA
A DOCUMENTARY FILM
What gets our attention?
What gets us to think?
“Some people fail to realize that the scariest thing on Earth is another fellow human being.”
The unexpected.
Every new documentary on the subject of ASD, autism spectrum disorder, has an opportunity to provide a glimpse into the lives of those affected by the disorder, something that helps contribute to more awareness and understanding.
The subject of our film is Andreas Balmaceda, a young man who is on the autism spectrum. As a child and into adulthood, he has confronted the negative bias and assumptions that many people hold concerning anyone with a perceived disability – particularly autism. That is to be expected. What is unexpected are the ways in which he has transcended his limitations, how he has achieved his accomplishments and successes.
At the foundation if his story are his 100K YouTube and TikTok followers, an impressive number for an up and coming content creator, but more important is what is behind the number. What is it that holds the interest of all these people? The film will use the interview format to talk to Andreas and those close to him.
Along with his internet success, Andreas defies expectations in other areas, such as personal relationships. He has a close friend dating back to middle school, and presently he is in a committed relationship with a woman his age.
Interviews with his longtime friend Joseph, his girlfriend Mariana, and his mother Susan will tell stories of misunderstandings, pranks, blame, pain and first love that all contribute to Andreas’ growth as young man with special challenges as well as abilities.
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BALMACEDA is a story of dedication and talent.
The film will break with convention when it offers an occasional look behind the scenes, a lifting of the curtain that allows the audience to see some of the challenges involved in recording the interviews - lawn mowers and aircraft constantly conspire to drown out the voices of our interview subjects.
It is informative to witness the attitudes of our interviewees as they and the filmmakers react to the interruptions. It doesn’t take long for the film crew and the people in front of the camera to bond in the face of a common enemy.
These behind the scenes moments also add an additional layer of entertainment value to the film.
The intention of the film is to promote acceptance, but we want to go further; we say that these people are worth knowing. Even more – that they are ‘cool’, they have great ideas, they can be fun.
The film will be made available to organizations that serve the autistic. Specific audiences that would benefit from this film include:
Younger people on the spectrum; to help them see that they will have options as they get older.
Parents of young children who have recently been diagnosed.
High school aged kids who might encounter students on the spectrum.
The story of Andreas and his internet success is inspiring, but equally important are the strategies he employs in navigating the mundane world of everyday encounters and demands. People on the autism spectrum sometimes process information in a different way than most; sometimes misreading the emotions of others. How well someone like Andreas handles the challenges of everyday life will have a significant bearing on their future. An examination of the future prospects and expectations for Andreas and others like him will be a focal point of the film.