Documentary turns Disney-loving autistic man into a star

Three painfully mute years later, and after countless rapt hours spent watching Disney animated movies, a word broke through.

A few weeks later, Ron picked up a puppet of Iago, the parrot from "Aladdin," and had his first conversation with his son in years — albeit one doing his best Gilbert Gottfried impression.

Roger Ross Williams' documentary "Life Animated," playing this week at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles Owen's remarkable growth, aided by the colorful, underdog sidekicks of Disney movies.

The film, inspired by Ron Suskind's book "Life Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism," is both about Owen's impressive maturity and the power of movies, of stories, to connect.

The film, which will open in theaters July 8, has been a hit on the festival circuit where 25-year-old Owen has bounded down theater aisles, high-fiving cheering crowds.

Williams won the directing award at the Sundance Film Festival, and the film picked up the audience award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

In Los Angeles, Owen visited the Disney Animation studios and met animators whose credits he knows thoroughly.

Owen is a fan of recent Disney films like "Zootopia" Pixar's "Inside Out."

In "Aladdin," the title character — a young vagabond — learns that he doesn't need to be a prince to reach his dreams.