Director: Piotr Stasik, Production: TVP, Country: Poland, Language: Polish, 54’, 2020, Rights: US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, Scandinavia, Turkey and MENA.
Altered States of Consciousness is a documentary film about the possibilities of our brain. A poetic journey deep into the world of thoughts of people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Where do the boundaries of our minds lie, and how much does culture confine or even extinguish our creativity in everyday life and even in love? In the film, we meet people of various ages who experience autism to differing degrees on the spectrum of the illness. With some, there is practically no contact at all, whereas others at first glance give the appearance of being “healthy.” Each of our subjects is a separate world and a unique means of seeking his or her own path in life.
“Who would you like to become?”, “What could you tell us about?”, “What is the most important thing in life?” – these questions are answered by children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. The filmmakers manage to establish very close contact with them, and the camera – subjective, focused on detail, invalidating the background – tries to reflect their particular way of perception. By observing the characters in various situations, in flashes of genius and moments of crisis, the document allows us to penetrate a little into the recesses of these fascinating and unconventional minds.