Portraits of Emotion
Portraits of Emotion Previous Broadcasts
KQED Life: Sun, Oct 14, 2012 -- 10:00 PM
This documentary follows over the course of 4 years the life of 14-year-old Jonathan Lerman, an artistic prodigy who is diagnosed with autism, a lifelong developmental disability that affects learning, communication and social interaction. While capable of drawing astonishing portraits that capture the nuances of human emotion, Jonathan is unable to effectively verbally communicate his feelings. By giving the audience an in-depth look inside Jonathan's life, the film builds awareness about the effects that autism has on a family over time. By answering questions about why people with autism act the way they do, it makes viewers more comfortable with people who are "different," and helps ameliorate society's attitudes toward the disabled. Sometimes heart-wrenching, at other times comedic, Jonathan's story encourages people to reevaluate their assumptions about intelligence, talent and disability.









