The first thing we see is a visual depiction of sensory overload.
Extreme close ups of painted imagery flit across the screen with an abundance of color, whisking past the screen just as quickly as they come into frame, narrated by words of poetry.
These words, it turns out, are written by DJ Savarese, a non-speaking autistic man in Illinois—and the titular subject of director Robert Rooy’s documentary, “Deej.”
DJ did not have the means to communicate for several years, until his adoptive parents began encouraging him to learn to read and write. Now, DJ speaks by typing into a computer, from which an automated voice speaks for him.
“Reading and writing are rarely taught to non-speaking autistics,” DJ commiserates, noting that most people assume if someone can’t... keep reading this at the burg!
“Deej” will play for a special screening on Sept. 30 at Midtown Cinema.