Warren Mitchell is an independent filmmaker born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who has his movie, Aspire, holding it's premiere at the Manship Theatre in Baton Rouge on Friday, April 25th. The red carpet pre-show will start at 5:30 PM, and the film will begin screening at 7 PM. There will be an Q&A and reception to follow. It is an independently-filmed romantic comedy made under his film production company, Warren World Films. He shot this movie back in early 2024. You can buy tickets at The Manship Theatre's Website and as well as see the trailer. 

The plot centers around Sam Sullivan, a man in his early 30's and diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, he moves in with his cousin in New Orleans and gets a job at a credit union. This is his opportunity to become independent and build upon his aspirations to have a job with income and to have a romantic relationship. Sam begins to realize his hopes for the latter start to come to fruition as he meets a woman named Amanda, who works at the same credit union as him. He starts to open up to her about his disability and shares his thoughts, fears and aspirations. Eventually, they start to date. Over the course of the relationship, they both pick up some valuable lessons. He is learning how to be social and romantically intimate, and she’s learning how to open up to understanding and dealing with his disability. 

Mitchell serves as director, producer & writer of the movie, and in addition, plays the lead character, Sam Sullivan. He says: This is a movie that is loosely based on moments of my own life. I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome when I was young. Parts of my character’s backstory is inspired by real-life moments that I’ve experienced as a person on the autism spectrum. I want to tell this story to present the perspective of an adult that is dealing with this disability and is longing for so many life goals that some on the spectrum have yet to achieve. These goals that Sam is aiming to achieve are also relevant in my own life, so I hope that this story reaches out to another autistic person like me and inspires them to push for their own dreams. I am very familiar with your organization's focus on autism, and I love how you’re doing your part in aiding those on the spectrum. This movie may not be suitable for autistic people of all ages, but it would be suitable for older patients on the spectrum. At some point, some of them will be out of high school, go through college, and then go out into the employment force and deal with other adult matters. It can not only be overwhelming, but it can also be a difficult road. I feel like this movie can reach those autistic teens that are approaching that next life stage and are discovering those goals that they want to reach, and I want this movie to tell them, “It’s okay to be different. I’m in the same boat as you guys, I’m using my experiences to make this movie, and I want this movie to motivate you to pursue what you want to achieve, whether in the professional or personal aspects of your life.” 

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I have been pursuing a career in filmmaking over the past 14 years. I have made 21 short films over the past 14 years, and this will be my first-ever feature-length movie. The movie has completed its principal photography, or filming period, and we've completed the final cut. Right now, we are running a special discount. If the person seeking to buy tickets is on the autism spectrum, they can use the code "BLUE" at checkout to get a 100% discount off the ticket.