Award winner (2019)3rd December 2019
When Andrew first shared his ambitions of being a film critic to his teachers and mentors, they told him to “get a real job”.
Andrew cannot write with a pen and pencil, but he taught himself to type and proved how skilled he is. Yet his teachers still pushed back.
Writing is Andrew’s passion and this negativity made him lose confidence. But he didn’t lose his drive.
Andrew has autism, learning disability, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, dorsal stream and a rare brain condition.
This means he finds processing information, writing and navigating dark cinema theatres very challenging. The grit he displays overcoming these and pursuing his dream is inspirational.
Raising aspirations
Andrew’s main motivation for publishing film reviews is to raise the profile of people with learning disabilities and/or autism, and raising the expectations and aspirations of the individuals themselves.
While Andrew’s teachers certainly didn’t believe in him, he vehemently believes in others.
He hopes that, through his success, others will follow their dreams.
Andrew was supported to create his own website
On www.andrewmoodie.co.uk he shares his writings for others to enjoy. His reviews were described in his nomination to the Leaders’ List 2019 as:
“Andrew is insightful and is able to bring to life thoughtful and well-rounded overviews of each review he shares with his readers. Andrew explores the storyline, the directorship, the characters and the musical score with his readers. This enables his readers to make an informed decision before investing their time on viewing.”
The art of the film critic
Film reviews may not be widely considered art, but Andrew wants to contest that.
Watching a film and thinking of all the aspects listed above takes real dedication and commitment. Then, to be able to articulate his thoughts and feelings in a way readers will understand, is an outstanding achievement, not least for someone who has to overcome such intense physical barriers.
“Throughout his life, Andrew has had to be a fighter against other people’s prejudices.”