Today, we are interviewing William Davenport, who is an ally of the Autistic community and a documentary filmmaker, with one of his notable films being Citizen Autistic.
Neurodiversity News: Tell me about yourself and what you do.
William Davenport: I am a documentary filmmaker, teacher, musician, and autism/political activist. I run an organization called Autism House, where we work with autistic individuals teaching them filmmaking, acting, writing and audio recording skills. We have a professional recording studio where we can record bands. The goal of the organization is to provide real world skills in the media industry, but also to provide a venue for autistic individuals to express themselves through media, be it film, printed matter, or music.
NN: What was the process of filming Citizen Autistic like?
WD: I made the film a lot faster than other films that I have done. It usually takes me a year to two years for a project. I finished Citizen Autistic in less than six months. In terms of how I went about creating the film – I looked at the politics of autism, which at that time was very focused on Autism Speaks and their role within the overall autism community. At that point, Autism Speaks was giving a very contrary message to the general community, such as the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. When I made that film, it was also the beginning of the burgeoning autistic self-advocacy movement, and I wanted to do create parallels with the gay rights movement. I would love to do a follow-up to the film to see where we are now and how things have progressed.
NN: Was there anything you didn’t get to cover in the film that you’d like to in the future?
WD: More about the politics of the autism diagnosis and the state of autism research.
NN: Could you elaborate on the politics of the autism diagnosis and the state of autism research that you wanted to cover?
WD: I think we don’t know how to really diagnose someone with autism, especially when it comes to gender differences. Men and women, boys and girls are so different, brains are different, although the diagnostic criteria are generally the same. I would like to examine where we are in terms of autism research and where funding is being allocated.
NN: Which of your films did you feel was your favorite to make?
WD: I have made nine documentary feature films, and each one was a joy to make. Some I feel deserve more praise than others and I would love to see them more widely distributed.
NN: Which of your films do you believe deserved more praise?
WD: I did a film about a band named Hunting Lodge. I think it’s one of the best films I’ve made. People don’t get it or think it’s too much of a niche film. I’m not so sure, but I have not been able to do much with it.
NN: Who are your inspirations?
WD: My students over the years have taught me about autism. More than any book or class, It takes direct contact to understand the autism experience.
NN: What do you hope to achieve in the future?
WD: We have a number of projects in the works right now –
THE FOOD RELATIONSHIP:
We all have a special relationship with food that we develop over our lifetimes. This film examines the psychology of food and its relationship to health and people’s quality of life. Being diagnosed with kidney decease in 2018, I have had to change my diet, as well as understand that what I eat can literally kill me. The film will also examine how food plays in relationships and family dynamics.
TOO SANE FOR THIS WORLD, #2:
I made Too Sane for This World about ten years ago. The film consisted of interviews with twelve different individuals on the autism spectrum. The individuals were a cross section of gender, race and diagnosis. Now, so many years later, we will be interviewing the same individuals.
SO CALLED FREEDOM:
What is true freedom? This film examines how we interpret freedom, considering mass incarceration, economic divide, cultural differences and individual interpretations. The film will include interviews with artists, musicians, homeless individuals, and people from the rich and middle class.
Hey, thanks for the blog. Really thank you! Awesome. Lynett Adams Berne