In order to create interest in the Centre’s private funding programs, the Talking Pictures Short Film Festival featuring work by filmmakers with autistic spectrum disorder was created as an outreach campaign. This was done by bringing together an existing Geneva Centre for Autism asset (an annual international symposium attended by leading world experts in the field) and leveraging the dates, locations and attendees.

For many of the filmmakers and their families, the films they create are some of the earliest and most profound expressions of communication. It was an opportunity to truly connect with them. Their work was highlighted and broadcast in a theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Attendees were given the opportunity to immerse themselves into the minds and creativity of people affected by ASD and were also encouraged to share this experience online and amongst their peer networks.

With the help of Spectrum Productions, who run summer camps for aspiring filmmakers on the autistic spectrum, we were able to involve these filmmakers to produce a long reel of short films. About 20 films were shortlisted and prepared for showing.

Using the Centre's database of 35,000 people from the international autism community, information about the event was disseminated. In addition, the Centre's PR team got word out to the local press.

Their work was shown in a theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event was hosted by Canadian film critic Richard Crouse and also featured an auction to help draw revenue as well as interest. The event was promoted online, both in social media and on the event’s splash page. Invitations were sent out to Geneva Centre symposium participants, which was happening in tandem, to draw attendees.

Total attendance at the showing was over 200 cinemagoers, with a combined media reach of over 1 million people across social media and traditional media channels including a feature on the CBC and in the Huffington Post. Over 35,000 members of the International Autism community connected with the event through direct mail and attendance of the symposium. Money raised covered all expenses for the event. The event is being held again in 2017 with a wider participation expected, both in terms of filmmakers and audience.