Antonia Gigglberger - Documentary Photographer

alex - reach for the stars

ALEX - Reach for the Stars is an award-winning documentary telling the story of multi-faceted Alex, a 24-year-old man living with autism and a learning disability in Southeast London together
with his parents. He takes the audience along his daily joys and struggles in life, slowly revealing more and more about his character. Through careful observation of his interactions at home with his parents, and his participation at SAVVY Theatre, an inclusive theatre company based in Croydon, we are invited into Alex’s world.
The film touches upon Alex’s development and early struggles, and how incredibly impactful the performing arts has been on Alex’s self-esteem, as he transfers these skills into other areas of life. We get an insight into the family structure and loving environment of Alex and his parents, encountering juxtaposition between a loving yet protective environment and the freedom he achieves on stage.
In this uplifting and in-depth portrayal, we learn about Alex’s attitudes and core values, and his reflections upon the performing arts. Alex’s strong character and positive outlook shines through, as he embraces the challenges he faces in order to pursue his dream of becoming a professional actor. The film follows rehearsals up until the opening night of his biggest performance yet.