(upbeat music) - Mental Healthy Fit and PBS Utah invite you to focus on autism as part of the Focus On Fest.

Our guest today, Brian Higgins and Jillian Joy, are here with more information.

Hi both.

Welcome.

Thanks for being here.

So Brian, why don't you start and talk about the Focus On Fest that you do, you cover a lot.

- Indeed.

Well, Focus On Fest is an ideas and advocacy film festival that we connect with different advocacy months throughout the year.

So we're just starting our series coming up in April for autism as we're here to speak about today.

But then we're also covering mental health, disability, refugee, homelessness, and recovery throughout the rest of the year.

And there really are wonderful events that we just promote what it's like to live with these experiences and how we can build community if we all work together.

- Wonderful.

I know, and you do a great job with it.

- Thank you.

- So Jillian, why don't you talk specifically about the Focus On Autism with PBS event?

- Absolutely.

So our first event is on April 24th, and that is focusing on our Autism Awareness Month.

We will be showcasing two premier short films as well as the PBS BBC production "Inside our Autistic Minds".

- I know, and that film that they're showing on PBS is a BBC production, which they're always excellent.

So can you tell us a bit about that?

- Yes.

It's just a showcase about people with lived experience and showing the benefit of having autism, you know, and really showing how artistic and communicative and diverse all of these experiences are.

- Great.

And I know you've got a panel.

- Yes.

So at the event we'll also have a panel discussion with advocates and experts with lived experience that are from the Columbus Center.

They'll be visiting with us.

- Okay, so, and it's open to the public and I assume anyone can come?

- Yep, anyone can come.

It's all just about building the community.

- Okay, great.

Well, thank you both for being here and for what you're doing.

Thanks.

- Thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about that upcoming Focus On Autism with PBS Utah, it's part of the Focus On Fest.

It's April 24th at seven o'clock.

It will be at the Fit Space, which is 1331 Major Street at seven o'clock.

For more information, go to pbsutah.org/events.

That's pbsutah.org/events.

I'm Mary Dickson, thanks for watching Contact.

(upbeat music) - Local events, arts, culture.

It's what brings us together.

Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

Here on Contact, we introduce you to local events and organizations that serve your neighborhood.

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