Chocolate Milk

Jonathan is a 30-year old person with autism who lives independently and tries to fit within the norms of today’s society. Yet he still views the world with the simplicity, idealism, and honesty one would only find in a child. The story follows two different paths. The first is Jonathan’s everyday life; the second is his creative work on a VR project based on his experiences. The two paths are paralleled.
Jonathan lives in the housing for people with special needs in New Jersey with a roommate who has Asperger syndrome. He works in the school for kids with special needs, which he attended as a child, helping with kids with autism who are severely affected. He guides and teaches the kids basic behavior such as going to the bathroom, communicating or playing. Now, he helps those kids to overcome the struggles he used to have while he was younger. Jonathan has a perfect pitch and plays the piano. He sings in a church choir and is proud of his short solo part. Jonathan’s parents, Barbara and Larry, are very supportive of his lifestyle. They tell the story from their perspective remembering when Jonathan was diagnosed as a 3 –years old child. The parents share many other memories explaining how hard they worked to help Jonathan overcome his struggles.
Jonathan meets Sonja, a filmmaker and Larry’s colleague. They collaborate on a VR project called Chocolate Milk. The VR is a journey through his memory of some struggles, but also talents. Jonathan teaches Sonja how he perceives the world so that she can visually present in the project for the viewer to be able to become a person with autism. During the collaboration, the two become close friends. They travel to Switzerland to participate in a workshop in Nyon. Jonathan spends a week in Switzerland learning, working and making new friends. He thrives during the workshop and gains new skills. The journey into the unknown creative process for Jonathan and Sonja continues while working on both documentary and VR.