Director chooses ‘authentic casting’: selects actors with autism for love story ‘Keep the Change’
In her love story highlighting the cinematically underrepresented autistic community, director Rachel Israel made the decision to cast non-professional actors with autism in the story's leading roles. This naturalistic approach in "Keep the Change" is one Israel hopes other directors and filmmakers will follow.
"I hope that this film pushes forward the conversation of authentic casting to the world of disabilities and that we start seeing not only more roles written for people on the autism spectrum, but roles cast with people in the autism spectrum," said Israel.
The film follows the characters of David, played by Brandon Polansky, and Sarah, played by Samantha Elisofon, on a journey of challenges and romance after meeting in a support group at a Jewish Community Center.
Israel said working with Polansky and Elisofon did not present any added difficulties, but instead changed her perspective as a director.
"Really the challenges were, you know, for me as a director, to adapt my directing style differently according to who I was working with," said Israel. "So I really worked with each of the actors very differently. But ultimately I think that's something that I should be taking to any actor I'm working with whether they're on the spectrum or neuro typical. So it's actually made me much more conscious as a director about that."
Israel's film debut awarded her recognition at both the Tribeca and Karlovy Vary International film festivals.
"Well I hope that people take away from the film just a very powerful, emotional and funny love story," said Israel. "If they're not familiar with the world of autism then I hope that they get an entry into that world that's very humanizing and that really they take away the vibrancy and diversity of these characters."
"Keep the Change" opened in select New York theaters on March 16, Los Angeles on March 23 and has nationwide release dates to follow.
"I hope that this film pushes forward the conversation of authentic casting to the world of disabilities and that we start seeing not only more roles written for people on the autism spectrum, but roles cast with people in the autism spectrum," said Israel.
The film follows the characters of David, played by Brandon Polansky, and Sarah, played by Samantha Elisofon, on a journey of challenges and romance after meeting in a support group at a Jewish Community Center.
Israel said working with Polansky and Elisofon did not present any added difficulties, but instead changed her perspective as a director.
"Really the challenges were, you know, for me as a director, to adapt my directing style differently according to who I was working with," said Israel. "So I really worked with each of the actors very differently. But ultimately I think that's something that I should be taking to any actor I'm working with whether they're on the spectrum or neuro typical. So it's actually made me much more conscious as a director about that."
Israel's film debut awarded her recognition at both the Tribeca and Karlovy Vary International film festivals.
"Well I hope that people take away from the film just a very powerful, emotional and funny love story," said Israel. "If they're not familiar with the world of autism then I hope that they get an entry into that world that's very humanizing and that really they take away the vibrancy and diversity of these characters."
"Keep the Change" opened in select New York theaters on March 16, Los Angeles on March 23 and has nationwide release dates to follow.