Actors from 'Lucy' say film aims to raise awareness about autism and caregiving

Dr. Bob Lee introduced Morris Napolitano and Sofia Lutank as the lead actors in Lucy, a new independent film that centers on a nonverbal autistic child and the emotional work of her family. Napolitano said he prepared for the role through research and by drawing on personal experience as a father.

"One of the biggest takes is we're all different, and we need to accept the difference," Napolitano said, urging patience and sensitivity toward families and caregivers. Sofia Lutank said she watched films about people with autism to understand how to portray her role and described learning "a lot of stuff about autism" while filming.

The guests said production ran over roughly 20 weekends beginning in late May and concluded the previous Saturday. Napolitano said the crew filmed across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and The Bronx. The producers identified LaSalle Productions from the set; the cast said they hope the film will appear on streaming platforms when it is released. "It'll be coming out in April," Napolitano said.

The interview emphasized the film’s outreach aim: to prompt audiences to see autism as a family and community issue rather than an individual label. The cast encouraged viewers to follow LaSalle Productions on Instagram for release updates and festival news.