In the decade between 2011 and 2022 alone, rates of Autism diagnoses have grown by 175%, if not more.
Ever since its official “creation” in 1944, rates of diagnoses have been going up rapidly. Despite this rapid
increase, the autistic community is still just 1% of the world population, more than enough to be treated
as a minority.
Film and media are some of the most powerful influences that the public has to make opinions on. Be it
foreign countries, new policies, or most importantly, opinions and treatment of minorities, film portrays it
all. In order to understand public perception of Autism and to address it should it need addressing, one
must first seek understanding of its causes. As such, this paper aims to understand how movie portrayal of
autism has evolved over the years as the condition grew more and more common.
As such, this paper is largely comprised of film reviews, looking at various movies across the decades
that depict autism. These films were rated using Safran’s guidelines for good movie representation of
disabilities and given an overall score based on Atkinson’s research.