Greetings From Mars
Grüsse vom Mars
Is there life on Mars? One young autistic lad wants to find out … if he can only conquer four weeks at his grandparents’ place in the country first.
Tom, a 10-year-old living with his widowed mum and two teenage siblings, dreams of becoming an astronaut and steering a rocket to Mars. He has the mathematical wit to make it work, but he’s also afraid of disruptions to his routine – and particularly the colour red, which could be a drawback on the rust-hued Martian landscape. So when he’s packed off to his grandparents’ house with his elder sister and brother while his mum takes a month-long business trip to China, Tom’s world is turned upside down. To help him cope with the change, his mum suggests that he treat his stay as a space-faring adventure – a mission he embraces wholeheartedly.
Adapted by Sebastian Grusnick and Thomas Möller from their children’s book of the same name, Sarah Winkenstette’s cute and touching coming-of-age comedy was awarded Best International Feature at the 2024 Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival. Depicting the world from Tom’s perspective through animated interludes and shifts in focus, Greetings From Mars approaches neurodivergence and grief with sensitivity and heart.
“A heartwarming adventure for the whole family … Winkenstette uses various audiovisual techniques to bring her 10-year-old protagonist’s perceptions to life.” – Filmstarts
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The session on Monday 11 August includes a panel conversation hosted by Bus Stop Films, a not-for-profit organisation that teaches filmmaking to adults with disabilities. You're invited to join us after the film for a 30-minute panel featuring a collection of neurodivergent filmmakers exploring family, independence and the nature of contemporary neurodivergent storytelling in film.
The session on 11 August is Sensory Friendly. This session will run a little differently from a standard session. To learn about what these changes are, you can check out MIFF’s Access page and review the Sensory Friendly Guide.
Tickets
For information about the accessible services being offered at MIFF, please visit miff.com.au/access. If you require any access service, such as wheelchair/step-free access, for any MIFF session, please call 03 8660 4888 or email boxoffice@miff.com.au to book your ticket.
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