Temple Grandin documentary to begin streaming next month

Post Reply New Topic

Now, audiences worldwide can learn about Grandin’s extraordinary life and influence through the documentary film “An Open Door.” It will be available on the streaming platforms Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and Kanopy beginning Aug. 12. The film is presented by CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences, was written and directed by award-winning filmmaker John Barnhardt and is distributed by Good Deed Entertainment. It has been accepted into 72 festivals, has earned 27 individual awards, and has been featured in 26 states and nine countries.

The film shows us how Temple has worked so that autism would not define her,” he continued. “It also reinforces the importance of being a kind person. Be kind to the person next to you because it just might be the next Temple Grandin. Be kind, have perseverance, and don’t let people define you. That’s the takeaway from the film.”

Grandin was also inspiration for an HBO feature film, “Temple Grandin,” released in 2010. Among dozens of accolades, she has been named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, was recently honored by USA TODAY among its 2025 Women of the Year and received CSU’s 2023 Founders Day Medal for her profound impact.

In her books, appearances, and in the film, Grandin describes the importance of teaching kids with autism useful skills that align with their interests – and giving them a chance to work and contribute, so their lives are not defined by a diagnosis.

“I want to see these kids get out there and be successful. Let’s show what autistic people can do,” she says. “People thought I was weird when I started, but when they saw my work, they said, ‘Oh, you did that?’”

In “An Open Door,” she describes the opportunities she found when key people saw the value of her work and gave her a chance.

“I recognized doors to opportunity. Doors have always been very symbolic for me because I have to have visual images,” she says. “One thing I figured out very early on is certain people can open doors.”

An Open Door” traces Grandin’s life from her upbringing near Boston, through school, into the cattle industry, on to higher education and to her standing as a hero in the autism community. In 1990, Grandin joined CSU, where she has conducted ground-breaking research and taught classes in livestock behavior and humane handling; she has likewise mentored dozens of graduate students who have gone on to careers in animal welfare.

It has not been an easy journey, the film shows. Determined to give food animals a decent life and painless death, Grandin persevered through sexism, skepticism and even ridicule to demonstrate the value of her designs.

“In this documentary, Temple shows us that it’s not only important but necessary that we have different minds solving our global problems,” said John Festervand, executive producer of “An Open Door” and director of development in CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Grandin hopes the film encourages people in both the animal welfare and autism communities.

“When I was younger, I used to look for great, mysterious meanings of life,” she says in the film. “Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the most important things are the things I do – that I help do something real to make something better. I want to open doors for other people now.”