A new animated documentary from New Zealand offers a personal look at what it means to live with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). My Journey With FASD, written and directed by Isaac Giles and produced by Grace Stapleton, follows the everyday experiences of a teenager living with the condition. After premiering at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival on October 10, the 11-minute film became freely available online on October 12 through the Day One Hāpai te Haeata filmmaking programme.

Rather than approaching FASD primarily through medical explanations or statistics, the documentary tells its story from the perspective of the young person at its centre. It explores everyday experiences, challenges and emotions while also highlighting individuality, creativity and resilience. The film encourages viewers to understand the person beyond the diagnosis and recognise that people living with FASD have their own strengths, interests and ways of experiencing the world.

Animation plays an important role in communicating this perspective. The filmmakers combine stop-motion techniques, miniature sets, cutout animation and painted backgrounds to represent thoughts and experiences that might be difficult to explain through words alone. The result is an accessible form of storytelling that can help audiences better understand some of the less visible aspects of living with a neurodevelopmental disability.

FASD is a lifelong condition associated with alcohol exposure before birth, but awareness should extend beyond explaining its causes. Understanding the experiences of people living with FASD is equally important for reducing stigma and improving support. My Journey With FASD provides an example of how personal storytelling and creative filmmaking can contribute to that understanding, giving audiences an opportunity to listen to a young person’s perspective rather than defining their experiences solely through a medical diagnosis.

Find more from Day One Hāpai te Haeata (New Zealand, October 2026)