What about little Peter?

Documentary film about autism and family

Director Martin Trabalík

Camera Martin Trabalík
Sound Petr Kačírek

Producer Jan Bodnár

About film

Peter is a teenage boy with autism spectrum disorder. He is not a little guy, at 16 years old he weighs well over a quintal. When Peter’s in a good mood, you laugh with him. But when he’s angry, the laughter passes quickly. Peter can be physically aggressive and take his tantrums out on those around him. The family never had it easy with him, but he also brought them a lot of joy. But at the beginning of last year, his mother died.
While most fathers who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder leave the family, Mr. Jochec was left to raise his children alone. He now faces the daunting task of not only taking care of his autistic son, but also of not neglecting to raise his teenage daughter. As long as his wife was alive, she took care of the children and he went to work. But after her death, he had to leave his job and stay at home. For the first time in his life, he discovers what needs to be taken care of in the household. “I had no idea how hard it was. You work harder than you do at work.” He admits.

Will he be able to cope with the task of bringing both children to adulthood, and is it even a task that one person can handle? Peter needs constant care and attention. Is it within the capacity of one person to be continuously devoted to another? How much are we willing to sacrifice for our most vulnerable, either as individuals or as a society? What are the limits of care?
Is love alone enough?
The film’s protagonist, Mr. Jochec, faces challenges not only in raising his children, but also in the financial survival of his family and navigating the complex waters of social services.
The film follows the fate of the family and, in a side line, Peter’s stay at the Nautis respite centre, where he commutes every month.
The aim of the film is not to be a first-hand social critique, but to reveal the strength of human bonds despite adverse conditions. The film wants to explore the trajectories of human belonging and ask whether it is possible to find joy and beauty even in life’s most difficult situations. It is a probe into life on the edge of social, physical and emotional possibilities.