Posted by Stefanie Zucker on November 12, 2010 · 1 Comment
We first heard about “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” this past January, in a guest post by Rosie Reeves. For those of you not familiar with this fantastic program, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing.
To borrow from Rosie’s post: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
This month “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” will be screened on November 20th. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this program.
Coming December 11th: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Editor’s note: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: part 1 is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence, frightening images and brief sensuality. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description to determine if this movie is right for you and your child.
Oh that’s fantastic! We have AMC theaters here!