gnaysmith This story brings hope to all of us parents of children with Autism... It is honest and full of hope. Autism shouldn't mean that we can't have a life - it should bring us hope and adventure... The professionals who took part in the interviews for the movie did so with open minds. Temple Grandin is fantastic and makes me believe that my son can do anything he chooses if I can help him to do it - I have read all of her books too and to know that she was behind Ru and Kristin on this adventure is great. This book and movie changed my life and the lives of my partner and kids. Thank you Ru, for all you have done for us - you are truly inspirational and a very wonderful friend.

Shobwinny Desplain Happiness, love and understanding!This film brings the beautiful message that the autistic can and will be cured by physical exercise. We all know it's true, and it is wonderful to see depicted in real life. The young boy's turnaround is nothing short of a miracle.The boy rides the horse. He commutes with the goat. He speaks to the chicken.You must take your children to Siberia. Autism, cancer, all will be cured by the horse and the goat. The chicken, not so much.Scientology? No, Science: Totally.

druid333-2 Rowan Isaacson is a four year-old boy,who has to live with a severe form of Autism. His parents are at wits end with his uncontrollable fits of screaming and crying and carrying on. During a walk with his Father (Rupert Isaacson),he bonds with an old horse,owned by their next door neighbour. Rupert gets the idea of taking his family to Mongolia to have his son healed by tribal Shamans (spiritual healers). It seems like the trip may be a failure from the start,but things begin to happen to Rowan (and the rest of the family,which also includes Rowan's Mother,Kristin Neff as well). First time director,Michel O.Scott (who also photographed & edited this documentary)went along to record the proceedings. The documentary video (shot on HD video)has some real nice scenic photography of the rugged,untamed countryside of Mongolia. We get to see some of the healing rituals of the tribal Shamans (which I really admired,as this culture is pretty much a mystery to most Westerners). This documentary isn't perfect,but still well worth checking out (my only two quirks I could have easily lived without are the occasional sojourns into toilet training,as Rowan had a real incontinence problem,which is rather graphically depicted on screen,plus the music score tended to feature some schmaltzy,New Age drone,rather than some Tuvan throat singers,which I would have much preferred). Not rated by the MPAA,but contains some brief strong language & some unnecessary gastric accidents from young Rowan that could have been left on the cutting room floor

Toadinthehole This is an excellent documentary with a message about the need for diversity in which an autistic boy with a love of animals is the main focus.A young couple and their autistic four year old boy Rowan take a pilgrimage to a sacred lake at the heart of the great Mongolian Plain where tradition has it, shamans still practice ancient healing rituals that may help heal their son of his autism. Rowan seems keen enough, but are they barking up the wrong tree? As we take the journey with them so we start to understand what the boy's parents are really up against. Who are they and why are they making such a public show of their autistic son? Do they have something important to say to justify their family adventure? The answer is yes.Their energy, determination and openness throughout the whole film is spoken to a friendly and compassionate camera and having previously documented the plight of the Bushmen, Rowan's father is clearly going to be in his element. But is it just another documentary for him? Rowan's father is clearly on familiar territory as a journalist having previously visited remote tribes and other remote parts of the world, but here he is completely unable to walk away from the subject matter like any other a job; here his hands are tied. Why are we doing it? How will it end? Are we crazy subjecting ourselves and our son to such(public) expectations? We share their doubt.For me the wild landscape of the high Mongolian Plain captured perfectly the wilderness and inner vulnerability of dealing with autism in the modern world. From start to finish one wonders where will it end and marvels at how Rowan's parents cope. Amazing stamina but sustained by true love and compassion.The films greatest strength is its vulnerability; for this is no easy fiction. A film which could so easily have fallen into the modern day pit of an obsession for awkward personal exposure resounds with love where personal revelation reaches far wider and may touch you as much as it did me.Well paced and nicely edited this is a motion picture about autism that had to be made and has to be seen, that puts the vital worth back into autism as part of the greater diversity of our expansive human soul.