Theatres Having Special Screenings People With Autism

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Not often I see positive stories in the news for people with Autism, I thought I would share this. Cineplex Entertainment (a major theatre chain in Canada) announced that it will have special showings for people with Autism.

"The Canadian movie theatre company says its Sensory Friendly Screenings will include 2D projection, increased auditorium lighting, lower volume and smaller crowds.

Theatres will also allow families to bring in outside food and take a break from screenings in a nearby "calm zone.""

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot ... -1.2950044

Maybe other companies and industries can take notice and make the outside world a little friendlier for us. Hopefully this expands from children shows to include some other content for us older people on the spectrum.

Cool

That's very cool.

It does sound a bit like the local theatre where I live... empty with only a few people wandering about. The exception would be Friday and Saturday night, but I've found that midweek during the day there tends to be very few people and the sound is quieter.
Often I can get an entire room to myself or maybe just one or two other people.
The concession stands tend to be closed on slow days like this, so they tend to let people in with snacks.

Watch out, one of the conspiracy theorists will surely say that this is the first step in excluding autistic people from being in regular society. They will also blame Autism Speaks.

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Frankly, this reeks of segregation.

They used to have "special screenings" for African Americans in the South back in the day.

I didn't think it's like segregating black people because
a) autistic people are still allowed to attend the regular screening if they wish
b) there is actually a change in the cinema for the autism-friendly screening and I assume there wasn't for the black screening
c) non-autistic people can attend the autism-friendly screenings as well if they want to
Granted I'm not an expert on black segregation in the USA so I could be wrong about those being differences.

We attended an autism-friendly screening once and I was very glad. I think it's a great idea. My son couldn't go to the cinema otherwise due to sensory and behavioural issues and I'm glad he got a chance to do it. We will go again if there is another good movie on!

And no bloody CELL PHONES ! !! !

(Sounds jolly good to me.)

They should do this with large shopping centers. Make it so one day a week no shop is allowed to play the radio, and maybe dim down the lights.

This is clearly optional so I do not think it is segregation.

Not different than having special screenings for people with tiny kids, or offering hearing devices for the hard of hearing.

They are just trying to accomodate everyone, I think.

I don't really take issue with the sound or projection system or whatever in movie theaters.....as for crowdedness, the theater I usually go to isn't usually very crowded unless there is a very popular new release, hence why I don't go see a movie when it first comes out more often than not though I go to a movie and I might be the only one there or maybe just a couple other people. But I suppose it is a cool idea for people who would benefit, I just wouldn't see any reason to go to an autistic specific screening unless it was more to attempt meeting other people with autism more than for the differing theater experience.