A documentary that examines the influence and life’s work of Temple Grandin is coming to broadcast television.
“An Open Door” will air on RMPBS at 7 p.m. and midnight on April 11, and at 10 a.m. on April 28. The film will be streamable through RMPBS.
“Rocky Mountain PBS viewers are always appreciative of powerful storytelling, even more so when the lens is turned on a Colorado legend,” said Brad Haug, director of programming for RMPBS. “We are thrilled to feature this portrait of a true pioneer.”
“An Open Door” delves into conversations with Grandin, her peers, industry experts and those influenced by her, to honor her pioneering journey, invaluable insights and enduring legacy.
Audiences will experience a captivating cinematic journey delving into the unseen facets of Grandin’s life, from her classrooms at Colorado State University to her childhood home in Massachusetts. The film follows Grandin on her “Visual Thinking” book tour and shares Grandin’s thoughts on the education system and speaks to her influence in the autism community.
Grandin is a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor, expert on humane treatment of livestock and renowned champion of autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity.
“Temple Grandin is undeniably one of the most influential scientists of our time. Through her remarkable journey, she has provided a platform for society to engage in conversations about neurodiversity,” said John Barnhardt, director of the film.
Since August of 2023, “An Open Door” has been accepted into more than 40 film festivals, including seven international ones. Most recently it was named “Best Documentary Feature” at the 2024 Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF).
To date the film has earned 18 awards from such festivals as the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards, Detroit Independent Film Festival and Chicago Filmmaker Awards.
The production of the film employed 12 CSU students running cameras, editing, sound design and marketing. Jacob Faulkner, a CSU graduate student in film studies who worked on graphics and sound design, attended the festival and received the award on behalf of the production.
“I worked with a crew of students who helped with this film, and this movie changed my entire life,” Faulker said. “I went to school for computer science and came out making a movie.”
Other festival screenings have included the 46th Denver International Film Festival, 14th Utah Film Festival, Helsinki Education Film Festival. Future festival screenings during the month of April around the country include: the 22nd Riverside International Film Festival (April 10-14); 28th Kansas City FilmFest International (April 13); the 72nd Columbus International Film & Animation Festival (April 20); Farm to Film Fest (April 20); 17th Thin Line Fest (April 24-28); 24th Santa Fe Festival (April 25-28); the Southside Film Festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (June 11-15); and the Nevada Women’s Film Festival (June 19-23).
“To have our film embraced by so many prestigious festivals globally has been nothing short of exhilarating,” said John Festervand, director of development for the College of Agricultural Sciences at CSU and executive producer of the film. “It gives everyone who worked on this film immense joy seeing our film and Temple’s story continue to resonate with a worldwide audience. She means so much to so many, and we’re so lucky to have had this amazing opportunity to help tell her story.”
Grandin is a world-renowned academic, making TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010. As an educator at CSU, she was named as one of the top 10 college professors in the United States in 2020. She is one of the most well-known and respected experts in both autism and animal behavior. Her latest book, “Visual Thinking (2022),” made the New York Times Best Seller list.
‘An Open Door‘ awards, honors and screenings
Selected
Allentown Film Festival, American Golden Picture International Film Festival, *Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival, Austin Lift-Off Film Festival, Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival, Columbus International Film & Animation Festival, Creators Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, DC Independent Film Festival/DCIFF, Farm to Film Festival, Golden State Film Festival, *Helsinki Education Film Festival International, Kansas City FilmFest International, Love Wins International Film Festival, Nevada Women’s Film Festival, Riverside International Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, Social Impact Film Festival, South Georgia Film Festival, Southside Film Festival, Thin Line Festival, WRPN Women’s International Film Festival.
Awards
- Beaufort International Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary.
- Chicago Filmmaker Awards – Best Feature Documentary & Best Documentary Director.
- Detroit Independent Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary, Best Cinematographer, Best Composer.
- Dubai International Cine Carnival – Best Documentary Film, Film on Women, Education Film, Women’s Films, Films on Disability Issue.
- Manhattanhenge Film Awards – Best Documentary Film.
- Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival – Best Documentary.
- Pikes Peak docuFEST – Best Documentary.
- Red Rose Film Festival – Best Documentary.
- San Diego Movie Awards – Best Feature Film & Best Original Score.
- Spotlight Documentary Film Awards – Best Documentary.
Awards finalist
- George Lindsey UNA Film Festival – Best Documentary.
- *Playback International Film Festival – Best Documentary.
- *Swedish Academy of Motion Picture Awards – Best Documentary Film, Film on Women, Best Cinematography.
Nominations
- Always Late TV Movie Awards – Best Documentary.
- Swedish International Film Festival – Best Documentary.
- The Atlantis Awards – Best Documentary.
- Utah Film Festival – Best Documentary.
Honorable mention
Stafford Film Festival – Best Feature Documentary.
International screenings
Dubai, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden (2), United Kingdom (2)
Faulkner accepted an award for “An Open Door” at the Beaufort International Film Festival.
University and other screenings
Auburn University, Middle Tennessee State University, West Texas A&M University, Saddleback College, World Autism Conference, National Agricultural Alumni Development Association Conference.
Women in Agribusiness (WIA) Sept. 24-26 Women in Agribusiness Summit 2024 (highquestevents.com)
