LET ME BE ME
When 6-year-old Kyle Westphal was diagnosed on the Autism spectrum, his parents feared they might never develop a real connection with their child. Distant, withdrawn and constantly wrapping himself in fabric or hiding under blankets, Kyle was cut off from the world around him. Determined to find a way to connect, Kyle’s parents embarked on an intensive and controversial program which involved working one-on-one with their son from 9 to 5 every day in a playroom in their basement. The radical program, developed by a family who had “cured” their son of Autism, encouraged parents to join their autistic children in the behaviors that would normally keep them isolated, and using those behaviors to forge a connection. But nothing is ever that easy. Twenty years later, the entire family looks back at Kyle’s treatment with candor and humor. LET ME BE ME is a feature length documentary told through verité, animation and archival footage that reveals what happens when a boy who used fabric to hide himself away, learns how to design clothes that reveal his true identity. The film had its World Premiere at DOC NYC in November 2021.
In 2019 we were invited by Wavelength productions to create the animated sequences for their feature documentary project HOW TO BE NORMAL which later changed its title to LE ME BE ME. ANIMADOCS created 20 animated sequences which aimed to help the audience see through Kyle’s POV by using a naive childish graphic style. What we found unique and inspirational about the project were his own descriptions of some of the key events that formed his childhood and the emotional response he had to the experimental program. It was a true privilege for our team to see the world through his eyes.
In 2021 the project changed direction around Kyle’s becoming-of-age story and his career in fashion, so unfortunately the team decided to use a different puppet and textile approach to animation. While most of the animation we created wasn’t used in the final film it was a key part of the creative process. This is why, with Wavelength’s permission, we decided to share some stills and animated sequences with you.
Directed by: Katie Taber
Edited by: Amanda Larson
Produced by: Joe Plummer
Executive Producer: Jenifer Westphal
Animation Director/Producer: Maria Stanisheva
Animation Concept Design: Rositsa Raleva
Lead Animator: Momchil Grozdanov
© 2021 Wavelength Productions [9’44”]
