A short documentary is coming to Netflix that shares the story of a teenage girl with autism who’s finding her voice for the first time.

The 23-minute film “Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World” follows Makayla Cain, who has a rare form of autism and has spent her childhood largely unable to communicate.

However, at age 14, Makayla is introduced to letter board therapy, which unlocks her inner world.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The film, which won Best Documentary Short at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, meets Makayla eight months after she started letter boarding as she’s learning to express her poetry and intelligence with those around her.

“Before she knew how to letter board, we had no idea what she was thinking,” Makayla’s mom Mañana Cain says in the documentary. “Having her communicate, it’s a beautiful thing, cause it’s like who is this child? And we’re still learning who she is.”

“Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World” premieres on Netflix Dec. 11.

Read more stories like this one. Sign up for Disability Scoop's free email newsletter to get the latest developmental disability news sent straight to your inbox.