A documentary focusing on the coming-of-age story of a boy on the spectrum is headed to theaters later this year after picking up an award at the acclaimed Sundance Film Festival.

The film “Life, Animated” is based on the best-selling book of the same name written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ron Suskind about his son, Owen, who has autism.

Owen Suskind stopped speaking at age 3 and learned to reconnect with language and relate to the world around him through Disney animation.

“Life, Animated” premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the directing award in the U.S. documentary competition. The film weaves video of Owen’s life with sequences from Disney classics and original animation based on Owen’s drawings to tell his story.

Rights to the film were acquired this month from A&E IndieFilms by the distribution company The Orchard, which is planning a theatrical release in 2016.

“We are so excited for audiences to meet and connect with Owen Suskind and the Suskind family,” said Julie Goldman, a producer of the documentary. “The remarkable screenings at Sundance were just the start; we anticipate an extraordinary journey ahead with the Suskinds, A&E IndieFilms and The Orchard, who are committed to bringing this film to the widest possible audience.”

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