Peter's Pond

The documentary follows the story of a family recounting and reconciling the loss of a family member. Through the journey of one family member going back home to put together the pieces left by the recent death of his brother, the mental health crisis in America is unveiled. Theo Teris will recount the experiences of his brother Pete leading to the moments of the incident that led to his passing. He will leave no stone unturned, speaking with health professionals, scholars, relatives and friends to understand the severity of his battle with Autism as well as its perception in society. He will see the side of his brother experienced by the people around him while growing closer to understanding every part of him as a brother and a member of a community.
The approach to this documentary is to give a “day in the life” experience for the audience to see what it was like to be a sibling and parent of an autistic child. It will build, piece by piece, who Peter Teris was through the memories, medical records, and places that were a part of him. As the film follows Theo re-exploring Venetia, PA through the eyes of Peter the audience will engage with the geographical impression of Peter and how he spent his time as a member of the town. The will experience the small idiosyncratic moments of Peter’s life, such as ordering food at the local Chic-Fil-A, and his impression that he left on the staff that made his order. Theo will also speak with his family and unpack Peter’s past, both the warmth and difficulty his family experienced raising him. In New York, we will experience the clinical aspect of Peter’s relationship with autism. Through reports of how autism affects people across the world including Peter, the audience will gage a better understanding of how autism and how it operates as a part of who an individual is. Through the retelling of Peter’s relationship with health care professionals, the audience will understand how autism is treated in society. Through the retelling of Peter’s relationship with his community and their perspective of him, the audience will understand who Peter is to the public and how people like him are treated by similar communities.
In the conclusion of the film, Theo will turn the camera to himself and reveal his take on sharing his life with his brother and how he is experiencing his absence. The audience will gage a very personal account of one’s love for Peter, for their own brother, and will understand the motivation behind the film. It will challenge the audience on their perspective of autism, how they encounter those who have it, and how they share their lives with the people around them. The film will tie in cinematic footage that captures the texture and tone of Pete’s world as vibrant as he experienced it. It will tie in photos and places and physical items that symbolize Pete’s past and his connection to others. It will also delve into the science of who he was as an individual with autism and how it affected him. It will overall confront the audience about perspectives on autism versus the reality of an individual living with it. It will show what is like to love someone with autism and how to except one while at the same challenging the audiences current relationship with someone with autism or any member of a marginalized identity.