Sam the Hedgehog is different from his family and classmates but the movie about his life, is more than about being different, it’s about raising awareness for Autism Acceptance.
As many as 1 in 68 children born today are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Nobody knows the exact cause of ASD.
“Sam the Hedgehog” is a short film about a hedgehog raised among sheep. Told in verse, it shares the message that ASD individuals should be celebrated and accepted as they are. The short film will work to raise awareness to help the growing community be heard and seen.
Our story focuses on Sam and his parents, Mr and Mrs Mouton, two ordinary sheep who must come to terms with the fact that their only child is not a lamb at all, but a hedgehog. At first, Mrs Mouton is determined that her son will be treated the same as the “other” lambs, while Mr Mouton feels Sam should follow his own path. Their journey as a family leads them to the realisation that Sam is indeed a hedgehog, and that the world has a place for him, prickles and all.
Sam the Hedgehog is running a crowdfunding campaign during the month of April, which happens to be ‘World Autism Awareness Month’. The crowdfunding is to help produce and film the animation which will be available to view for free online.
Told in verse, Sam’s story sheds light on the experience of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) children and their parents. Sam is shy, a bit prickly and quite particular about certain things – just like many autistic kids.
The message of his story is that autistic people want to be accepted for who they are. Although we should try and understand one another better, the point shouldn’t be to try and make people with autism “normal”… any more than a hedgehog should learn to become a sheep.
The people involved in the project are looking for more than just funding, they also want people who have experience with ASD to share their advice.
- Do you have an autistic child? Fill in this form and share your story with Sam – he needs all the inspiration he can get!
- Do you work with autistic kids? We’d love your advice. Email Sam at hello@samthehedgehog.co.za and let’s chat!
Once the film is made, we will spread it as widely as possible, free of charge. Thereafter, the film will live on Sam’s dedicated website, which we hope to build into a resource of helpful content for the ASD community.
The campaign is filled with inspirational people sharing their stories and working to raise awareness for autism acceptance. You can find a full detailed breakdown of the people involved, cost breakdowns and so much more on their campaign page here. You can see the promotional video below.
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