Vicki Lesley
@vickilesley.bsky.social
Director of 'The Atom: A Love Affair' (Netflix & DIsney+) Host of online film club ‘The Film Thread’. Proud Brightonian & autism advocate/parent. Writing about work, life & films at vickilesley.substack.com
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THE FILM THREAD 🎬🪡
Welcome to The Film Thread! My hand-curated, algorithm-free members' community, where film-lovers come together to explore life's big ideas & experiences, slowly & thoughtfully, through the magic of t...
vickilesley.substack.com
Check out my online members club 'The Film Thread' - it's like a book group, but for films! A slow cinema journey tracing one theme over many months, through lesser-known film gems from different countries, eras & genres. New season on autism coming soon... vickilesley.substack.com/p/welcome-to...
Short films about #autism #11
In 2017 the Guardian commissioned this VR film to try and convey the sensory overload experienced by a teen autistic girl at a surprise birthday party. Its VR app is defunct now but you can still watch the 360 video on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtwO... #filmsky
In 2017 the Guardian commissioned this VR film to try and convey the sensory overload experienced by a teen autistic girl at a surprise birthday party. Its VR app is defunct now but you can still watch the 360 video on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtwO... #filmsky
The Party: a virtual experience of autism – 360 film
YouTube video by The Guardian
www.youtube.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Short films about #autism #11
In 2017 the Guardian commissioned this VR film to try and convey the sensory overload experienced by a teen autistic girl at a surprise birthday party. Its VR app is defunct now but you can still watch the 360 video on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtwO... #filmsky
In 2017 the Guardian commissioned this VR film to try and convey the sensory overload experienced by a teen autistic girl at a surprise birthday party. Its VR app is defunct now but you can still watch the 360 video on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtwO... #filmsky
Short films about #autism #10
This lyrical, subjective short docudrama uses narration, sensorial imagery & children's drawings to try to convey how life looks, sounds & feels to an autistic girl, particularly her experience of attending a mainstream school #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQq...
This lyrical, subjective short docudrama uses narration, sensorial imagery & children's drawings to try to convey how life looks, sounds & feels to an autistic girl, particularly her experience of attending a mainstream school #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQq...
In My World, In Your Eyes -A Window Into Autism- 2024
YouTube video by Inclusive Arts Collective
www.youtube.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Short films about #autism #10
This lyrical, subjective short docudrama uses narration, sensorial imagery & children's drawings to try to convey how life looks, sounds & feels to an autistic girl, particularly her experience of attending a mainstream school #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQq...
This lyrical, subjective short docudrama uses narration, sensorial imagery & children's drawings to try to convey how life looks, sounds & feels to an autistic girl, particularly her experience of attending a mainstream school #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQq...
Fun fact: one of the participants in the film, 22 year old Adam Harris, is the younger brother of the former Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris and founded Ireland's national autism charity AsIAm in 2014 to advocate for greater awareness, support and inclusion for autistic people in Ireland.
Short films about #autism #9
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
Autism and Me (2018)
A revealing documentary that explores the autism spectrum through the experiences of a number of Irish children, teenagers and young adults.
tubitv.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Fun fact: one of the participants in the film, 22 year old Adam Harris, is the younger brother of the former Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris and founded Ireland's national autism charity AsIAm in 2014 to advocate for greater awareness, support and inclusion for autistic people in Ireland.
Short films about #autism #9
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
Autism and Me (2018)
A revealing documentary that explores the autism spectrum through the experiences of a number of Irish children, teenagers and young adults.
tubitv.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Short films about #autism #9
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
This observational doc gives a snapshot of the diverse lives of several autistic children and young people across Ireland & made a real, positive contribution to how autistic people were seen in the country. Watch for free on Tubi #filmsky tubitv.com/movies/45562...
Short films about #autism #8
Guang(2011) is a Malaysian narrative short, precursor to an award-winning 2018 feature. Inspired by the director's autistic brother it shows both social challenges & the intense focus/magic special interests can bring #filmsky #https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxIsfKauTBQ
Guang(2011) is a Malaysian narrative short, precursor to an award-winning 2018 feature. Inspired by the director's autistic brother it shows both social challenges & the intense focus/magic special interests can bring #filmsky #https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxIsfKauTBQ
Guang (光) - A musical tale about Autism, based on a true story. // Viddsee
YouTube video by Viddsee
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Short films about #autism #8
Guang(2011) is a Malaysian narrative short, precursor to an award-winning 2018 feature. Inspired by the director's autistic brother it shows both social challenges & the intense focus/magic special interests can bring #filmsky #https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxIsfKauTBQ
Guang(2011) is a Malaysian narrative short, precursor to an award-winning 2018 feature. Inspired by the director's autistic brother it shows both social challenges & the intense focus/magic special interests can bring #filmsky #https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxIsfKauTBQ
Reposted by Vicki Lesley
The “Greatest” Short Films of All Time, as voted for by filmmakers, curators, critics and scholars from around the world: yanco.be/en/greatest-...
“Greatest” Short Films of All Time 2025 | yanco
yanco.be
February 9, 2026 at 10:08 PM
The “Greatest” Short Films of All Time, as voted for by filmmakers, curators, critics and scholars from around the world: yanco.be/en/greatest-...
Good to see some reporting on #nuclear colonialism in a major UK newspaper. It’s an area I plan to get deep into in my next short doc…
‘We’re being turned into an energy colony’
Push to restart uranium mining in Patagonia sparks fears about environmental impact and loss of sovereignty.
#nuclear
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Push to restart uranium mining in Patagonia sparks fears about environmental impact and loss of sovereignty.
#nuclear
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
‘We’re being turned into an energy colony’: Argentina’s nuclear plan faces backlash over US interests
Push to restart uranium mining in Patagonia has sparked fears about the environmental impact and loss of sovereignty over key resources
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Good to see some reporting on #nuclear colonialism in a major UK newspaper. It’s an area I plan to get deep into in my next short doc…
Reposted by Vicki Lesley
February 9, 2026 at 2:15 PM
Short films about #autism #7
Canadian artist Gil Goletski's 2018 animated short 'Hole' vividly conveys the confusion, and even disintegration, experienced in autistic sensory overload, with a dizzying collage of different animation techniques, sounds & music #filmsky psyche.co/videos/a-mys...
Canadian artist Gil Goletski's 2018 animated short 'Hole' vividly conveys the confusion, and even disintegration, experienced in autistic sensory overload, with a dizzying collage of different animation techniques, sounds & music #filmsky psyche.co/videos/a-mys...
A mysterious black orb trails Mo, growing ever harder to ignore | Psyche Videos
The boundaries between internal experience and the external world blur in this immersive animated rendering of autism
psyche.co
February 9, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Short films about #autism #7
Canadian artist Gil Goletski's 2018 animated short 'Hole' vividly conveys the confusion, and even disintegration, experienced in autistic sensory overload, with a dizzying collage of different animation techniques, sounds & music #filmsky psyche.co/videos/a-mys...
Canadian artist Gil Goletski's 2018 animated short 'Hole' vividly conveys the confusion, and even disintegration, experienced in autistic sensory overload, with a dizzying collage of different animation techniques, sounds & music #filmsky psyche.co/videos/a-mys...
Finally made it to the new(ish) coffee shop in the converted ‘garden temple’ folly at Black Rock on the #Brighton seafront, built in 1835 but long fallen into disrepair until its recent restoration. Gets a big thumbs up from my daughter & I. Friendly staff, delicious food & the view is hard to beat😊
February 8, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Finally made it to the new(ish) coffee shop in the converted ‘garden temple’ folly at Black Rock on the #Brighton seafront, built in 1835 but long fallen into disrepair until its recent restoration. Gets a big thumbs up from my daughter & I. Friendly staff, delicious food & the view is hard to beat😊
Ooh great shout! Every 4 years when when the Winter Olympics come around again I surprise myself anew with just how interested I get in people performing unfathomably impressive sporting feats in freezing conditions. The Herzogian take on it definitely appeals.
If anyone wants to understand Ski Jumping more I recommend the Werner #Herzog documentary The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner.
I believe it's on BFI player
#WinterOlympics
I believe it's on BFI player
#WinterOlympics
February 8, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Ooh great shout! Every 4 years when when the Winter Olympics come around again I surprise myself anew with just how interested I get in people performing unfathomably impressive sporting feats in freezing conditions. The Herzogian take on it definitely appeals.
Short films about #autism #6
A bit of a companion piece to yesterday's Panorama, this short doc brings a playful contemporary autistic perspective to bear on 1950s film footage of autistic children in a clinical setting- a fascinating and fun watch 😊 #filmsky www.shortoftheweek.com/2025/02/18/a...
A bit of a companion piece to yesterday's Panorama, this short doc brings a playful contemporary autistic perspective to bear on 1950s film footage of autistic children in a clinical setting- a fascinating and fun watch 😊 #filmsky www.shortoftheweek.com/2025/02/18/a...
Autism Plays Itself - a short film by Janet Harbord
Watch Autism Plays Itself by Janet Harbord - a short film about three autistic respondents watching clinical recordings of autistic children from 1957.
www.shortoftheweek.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Short films about #autism #6
A bit of a companion piece to yesterday's Panorama, this short doc brings a playful contemporary autistic perspective to bear on 1950s film footage of autistic children in a clinical setting- a fascinating and fun watch 😊 #filmsky www.shortoftheweek.com/2025/02/18/a...
A bit of a companion piece to yesterday's Panorama, this short doc brings a playful contemporary autistic perspective to bear on 1950s film footage of autistic children in a clinical setting- a fascinating and fun watch 😊 #filmsky www.shortoftheweek.com/2025/02/18/a...
Reposted by Vicki Lesley
Bad Bunny and Sir Ian McKellen and Anoushka Shankar all reminding us this week, in very different ways, just how important art is for a progressive future.
February 7, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Bad Bunny and Sir Ian McKellen and Anoushka Shankar all reminding us this week, in very different ways, just how important art is for a progressive future.
Short films about #autism #5
The BBC Panorama film 'And...It's for Life', predating the concept of an autistic spectrum by 5 years, takes us inside the UK's second dedicated autistic school & first adult residential care home - and shows how far we've come in 50 years www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSs...
The BBC Panorama film 'And...It's for Life', predating the concept of an autistic spectrum by 5 years, takes us inside the UK's second dedicated autistic school & first adult residential care home - and shows how far we've come in 50 years www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSs...
Panorama - 1974 - Autism Provision
YouTube video by JB Price
www.youtube.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Short films about #autism #5
The BBC Panorama film 'And...It's for Life', predating the concept of an autistic spectrum by 5 years, takes us inside the UK's second dedicated autistic school & first adult residential care home - and shows how far we've come in 50 years www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSs...
The BBC Panorama film 'And...It's for Life', predating the concept of an autistic spectrum by 5 years, takes us inside the UK's second dedicated autistic school & first adult residential care home - and shows how far we've come in 50 years www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSs...
Short films about #autism #4
Ryan Matthews: Basically Me (2014) is a sweet documentary profile of an artist with Aspergers whose life has been transformed by 2 things: his love of trains and moving to Alaska, where he's found his own personal & creative 'paradise' #filmsky psyche.co/videos/an-au...
Ryan Matthews: Basically Me (2014) is a sweet documentary profile of an artist with Aspergers whose life has been transformed by 2 things: his love of trains and moving to Alaska, where he's found his own personal & creative 'paradise' #filmsky psyche.co/videos/an-au...
An autistic artist searches for the ‘souls’ of machines | Psyche Videos
Destructive and beautiful all at once – an artist on the spectrum captures the ‘souls’ of machines from an Alaskan cabin
psyche.co
February 6, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Short films about #autism #4
Ryan Matthews: Basically Me (2014) is a sweet documentary profile of an artist with Aspergers whose life has been transformed by 2 things: his love of trains and moving to Alaska, where he's found his own personal & creative 'paradise' #filmsky psyche.co/videos/an-au...
Ryan Matthews: Basically Me (2014) is a sweet documentary profile of an artist with Aspergers whose life has been transformed by 2 things: his love of trains and moving to Alaska, where he's found his own personal & creative 'paradise' #filmsky psyche.co/videos/an-au...
Reposted by Vicki Lesley
Our 2026 mentoring programme has just kicked off, & already our inbox is filling with the most heart-warming messages from mentees after their first 1-to-1 meetings.
If you'd like to be a future AE mentor, join our Network to be the 1st to hear when apps open👉 www.arts-emergency.org/get-involved...
If you'd like to be a future AE mentor, join our Network to be the 1st to hear when apps open👉 www.arts-emergency.org/get-involved...
![A yellow slide with text that says "My first mentoring session was amazing! I feel like [my mentor] is a great fit for me and I'm looking forward to our next meeting." - Arts Emergency 2026 Mentee](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cepl4sach2h74hrab6nyv7in/bafkreiaeum3lv2ih3f5h6dub32h6mo4rgeh5hdlve2anndtfivsqspzkty@jpeg)
February 5, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Our 2026 mentoring programme has just kicked off, & already our inbox is filling with the most heart-warming messages from mentees after their first 1-to-1 meetings.
If you'd like to be a future AE mentor, join our Network to be the 1st to hear when apps open👉 www.arts-emergency.org/get-involved...
If you'd like to be a future AE mentor, join our Network to be the 1st to hear when apps open👉 www.arts-emergency.org/get-involved...
Short films about #autism #3
Pixar's animated short Loop (2020) is a gorgeously rendered portrait of a non-verbal autistic girl (voiced by a non-verbal actor) & neurotypical boy learning to communicate on a canoe trip. Affecting *and* authentic representation #filmsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5Q...
Pixar's animated short Loop (2020) is a gorgeously rendered portrait of a non-verbal autistic girl (voiced by a non-verbal actor) & neurotypical boy learning to communicate on a canoe trip. Affecting *and* authentic representation #filmsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5Q...
Pixar Sparkshorts: Loop | Short Film on Disney+
YouTube video by Movie Trailer
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Short films about #autism #3
Pixar's animated short Loop (2020) is a gorgeously rendered portrait of a non-verbal autistic girl (voiced by a non-verbal actor) & neurotypical boy learning to communicate on a canoe trip. Affecting *and* authentic representation #filmsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5Q...
Pixar's animated short Loop (2020) is a gorgeously rendered portrait of a non-verbal autistic girl (voiced by a non-verbal actor) & neurotypical boy learning to communicate on a canoe trip. Affecting *and* authentic representation #filmsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5Q...
Short films about #autism #2
John Clark's BFI-funded 'Snapshot' from 2022 is loosely based on his own lived experiences with striking visuals/ sound design taking us inside the head of a young autistic photographer as he navigates interviewing for a new job #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxjz...
John Clark's BFI-funded 'Snapshot' from 2022 is loosely based on his own lived experiences with striking visuals/ sound design taking us inside the head of a young autistic photographer as he navigates interviewing for a new job #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxjz...
SNAPSHOT | Omeleto Drama
YouTube video by Omeleto Drama
www.youtube.com
February 4, 2026 at 12:31 PM
Short films about #autism #2
John Clark's BFI-funded 'Snapshot' from 2022 is loosely based on his own lived experiences with striking visuals/ sound design taking us inside the head of a young autistic photographer as he navigates interviewing for a new job #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxjz...
John Clark's BFI-funded 'Snapshot' from 2022 is loosely based on his own lived experiences with striking visuals/ sound design taking us inside the head of a young autistic photographer as he navigates interviewing for a new job #filmsky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxjz...
Announcing it to the world so it’s really REAL. Yep I’m making another film! open.substack.com/pub/vickiles...
Monthly Meander Jan '26 : Battling the gremlins & remembering how to begin
It's official... I've started work on a new film! Plus, autism films & boarding schools
open.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:08 AM
Announcing it to the world so it’s really REAL. Yep I’m making another film! open.substack.com/pub/vickiles...
Check out my online members club 'The Film Thread' - it's like a book group, but for films! A slow cinema journey tracing one theme over many months, through lesser-known film gems from different countries, eras & genres. New season on autism coming soon... vickilesley.substack.com/p/welcome-to...
THE FILM THREAD 🎬🪡
Welcome to The Film Thread! My hand-curated, algorithm-free members' community, where film-lovers come together to explore life's big ideas & experiences, slowly & thoughtfully, through the magic of t...
vickilesley.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Check out my online members club 'The Film Thread' - it's like a book group, but for films! A slow cinema journey tracing one theme over many months, through lesser-known film gems from different countries, eras & genres. New season on autism coming soon... vickilesley.substack.com/p/welcome-to...
Whilst prepping the new season of my film club - on #autism - I thought I'd share a short film each day in Feb that I’ve encountered whilst researching the programme. Starting with seminal animation 'A is for Autism'(back when Ch4 still commissioned stuff like this!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxt3...
A Is For Autism (Tim Webb), 1992
YouTube video by mirela magh
www.youtube.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Whilst prepping the new season of my film club - on #autism - I thought I'd share a short film each day in Feb that I’ve encountered whilst researching the programme. Starting with seminal animation 'A is for Autism'(back when Ch4 still commissioned stuff like this!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxt3...
Had a lot of fun talking with Oscar Project head honcho Jonathan about this one - some genuinely mind-blowing stunt sequences and Jean Harlow was a sensation! #filmsky #hollywoodgoldenage #oscars #1930s
4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley open.substack.com/pub/theoscar...
4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley open.substack.com/pub/theoscar...
4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley
Today’s episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Hell’s Angels. I’m joined by Vicki Lesley who writes the Vicki Lesley is... Documental newsletter, and we talk about the beautiful cinematographi...
open.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Had a lot of fun talking with Oscar Project head honcho Jonathan about this one - some genuinely mind-blowing stunt sequences and Jean Harlow was a sensation! #filmsky #hollywoodgoldenage #oscars #1930s
4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley open.substack.com/pub/theoscar...
4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley open.substack.com/pub/theoscar...
Whilst looking for autism films I came across one featuring Michael Baron, who co-founded the National Autistic Society in the 60s. He passed away only last week aged 96. What a legacy - and he campaigned on nuclear waste too!We’d have had lots to talk about…RIP www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Michael Baron obituary
Solicitor who was inspired by his son to increase awareness and understanding of autism
www.theguardian.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Whilst looking for autism films I came across one featuring Michael Baron, who co-founded the National Autistic Society in the 60s. He passed away only last week aged 96. What a legacy - and he campaigned on nuclear waste too!We’d have had lots to talk about…RIP www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Can’t wait to watch this
Ahead of tomorrow's Sundance premiere of 'The Story of Documentary Film,' director Mark Cousins discusses the importance and challenges of sharing the history of nonfiction cinema with the world, now more than ever: www.nonfics.com/p/mark-cousi...
January 26, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Can’t wait to watch this