Film about a young man with Asperger's

[Guest guest]

This will air on Jan 8th on WTTW at 10 pm.

<_http://www.pbs.http://www.pbs.http://www.pbs_

(http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/todaysman/) > _http://www.pbs._

(http://www.pbs./)

org/independentl ens/todaysman/

Today's Man

Nicky Gottlieb was a child of extraordinary talents and odd behavior. At

age 21, he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a high functioning form

of autism.

TODAY'S MAN follows Nicky over the course of six years as he struggles

to leave the safety of his family's home and find his own place in the

world.

The Filmmakers

From filmmaker LIzzie Gottlieb:

When you meet Nicky, you might find him offensive and rude, or charming

and quirky, or brilliant and adorable, or aggressively intrusive. It is

my hope that this film could explain Nicky and those like him to people

who might otherwise write him off, take offence or become angered by

him. I would like them instead to see his humor and charm and

intelligence and warmth and enthusiasm and enormous potential.

One in 160 children born today are on the autistic spectrum. That is a

staggering number. There are more and more resources for children with

autistic spectrum disorders, which is wonderful. But I have found that

there is so little for adults. No one seems to be asking what happens to

these children when they grow up. Most of the adults I know with

Asperger Syndrome are living with their aging parents. Some have

successful jobs, others less so. These people have such a tremendous

amount to offer society. We need to create ways for their energy and

intelligence to be used productively. We need to figure out living

situations that work for them. I hope that my brother and this film will

encourage people to find these solutions.

**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes

(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)