About this Short Film
Elijah's Story is a short film by students from Windaroo Valley State High School, Australia (2024). Quiet and observant, the film looks at themes of autism, non-verbal communication and cognitive processing differences in a school setting. It offers a thoughtful, human view of a young person’s interactions with peers, teachers and therapists, without presuming a single narrative. Shot with care, it invites viewers to notice small moments and individual ways of being. As part of the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, Elijah's Story contributes to a wider conversation about ability, learning and support, highlighting the voices and experiences that often go unseen.
Film Details
Film Transcript
Hi, I'm Nathan, Eli's dad. Some of the challenges raising Eli — I'd probably say the biggest challenge has been the difficulty with him being non‑verbal. One of Eli's recent accomplishments is he won an award for Creative Arts at school, and that's for his talent with drawing and creating figurines.
Some of the sources that we have for helping to work with his autism are that he has a number of therapists he sees: he's got an occupational therapist, he's got a behavioural therapist and a speech therapist. He works with them and they give us skills and techniques to use to help him communicate effectively.
Some of Eli's favourite activities are drawing and creating craft models with crafty clay, and he also loves the trampoline and going swimming.
Filmmaker
Windaroo Valley State High School is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Windaroo Valley State High School.
