HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO

"A touching, gentle-hearted look at teenagers on the autistic spectrum… refreshingly upbeat." – Hollywood Reporter

Every year in the town of Columbus, Ohio, psychologist Emilio Amigo and his staff put on a prom for the high-functioning autistic teenagers they're helping to adapt to the "neurotypical" world outside. Marideth, Jessica and Caroline are three young women preparing for their big night, but when you're on the spectrum going to the prom is more than just a dance: it's an induction into a realm of strange rituals and social cues that you can barely understand.

Told with sweet humour and bundles of empathy, How to Dance in Ohio is the uplifting new work from documentarian Alexandra Shiva. A filmmaker who has dedicated her career to telling the otherwise untold stories of those on society's margins, Shiva delivers a film about autism that escapes the stereotypes to offer something far richer, warmer and altogether more human.

MIFF recommends ages 10+

_{All films featured as part of the Next Gen program are approved for screening by the Australian Classification Board. Next Gen screenings are open to all ages, but people under the age of 15 must attend in the company of an adult guardian.}