Netflix's ATYPICAL To Be Honored At AutFest This Weekend

The second Annual AutFest International Film Festival, presented by The Autism Society, will take place Saturday, April 28 - Sunday, April 29 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California. It will screen six feature-length films, seven shorts and two television shows that promote autism awareness and/or are made by filmmakers with autism.

A special panel will follow a screening of episodes of Netflix's Atypical with Creator Robia Rashid (Will & Grace, How I Met Your Mother); Actors Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Brigette Lundy-Paine (Downsizing, The Glass Castle), Keir Gilchrist (It's Kind of a Funny Story), Anthony Jacques, Layla Weiner and Nikki Guttman; Executive Producers Mary Rohlich (Gleason, Baywatch) and Seth Gordon (Identity Thief, Pixels); Author David Finch (The Journal of Best Practices) and Autism Consultant Michelle Dean (Ph.D. Special Education, UCLA).

In addition, AutFest will honor and feature Q&As with actors and film MAKERS behind ABC's The Good Doctor, Power Rangers,Please Stand By and "Love and Relationships "autism specialists.

As previously announced SONY Pictures Entertainment will be receiving the Visionary Award presented to Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, and Co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Television Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter. ABC'sThe Good Doctor joins Netflix's Atypical to receive Spotlight Awards, honored for their exceptional portrayal of autism in a positive light to help increase understanding and acceptance of people on the spectrum. Additional Festival awards will be presented to filmmakers at the AutFest Closing Reception on Sunday, April 29 at 7:30 pm. Past AUTFEST honorees include Ben Affleck (The Accountant) and Pixar's Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera (Inside Out). For complete festival screening and event schedule and more information, please visit autfestasa.com.

AutFest Honorary Committee Members include seven-time Emmy® winner and autism advocate Ed Asner, actress Kristen Bell (House of Lies), actor Dax Shepard (CHIPS), Emmy-winning actress comedian Sarah Silverman, Golden Globe®-nominated actor Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), Emmy-nominated actor Gary Cole (Veep), Autism Speaks co-founder Bob Wright, The Suzanne Wright Foundation president Liz Feld, Warner Bros. president and CCO Peter Roth and Autism Society's VP of Development Matthew Asner.

AutFest is proudly sponsored by GOLD: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Hyundai, State of Qatar, SILVER: Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Lindamood Belle, Netflix, FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL: SAG-Aftra, Autism Pie, Bob Wright, Center for Developing Minds, ABC, ICM, Saban, TRIBUTE BOOK: Shuman Management, PCW Props, MEDIA SPONSORS: ABC 7 and Variety, INKIND: One-Hope Wine, Penta Water, Foreo, MAC Cosmetics, Sevenly, Sprouts, Runway Tech, GIFTBAG: Designs by Siri, Art by Luis, Lindamood Belle.

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