Short film shares mother and son’s journey with autism

A Hamilton filmmaker hopes Dear Grandpa, It’s Michael can grow into a community initiative that changes how we see potential. It will be screened in Stoney Creek on Oct. 28.

When Hamilton filmmaker and producer Tyrone Greenidge met Michael Whitell, the boy was four years old. Michael, who had been diagnosed with autism at age two, spoke little, but Greenidge quickly recognized something special about him and his family.

Michael’s mother Karen Whitell tirelessly fought for opportunities for her son.

As he got to know the mother and son better, he came to see a story worth telling.

“I always say she has an indomitable will,” Greenidge says of Karen Whitell, who has spent years as a single mother, advocating for her son. “Her biggest thing is, don’t quit on your child. You never know what they can accomplish.”

That belief is at the heart of Dear Grandpa, It’s Michael, a short film inspired by Michael’s life, his relationship with his grandfather, and the support of the family and community around him.

A media kit describes the film as: “A story of self-discovery, hope, and the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to discover what they are capable of becoming.” 

WATCH THE FILM'S TRAILER HERE

For Greenidge, the project is about autism awareness, but it’s also about belonging, grief, and what becomes possible when people are given the space and support to discover their strengths.

“We all seek belonging, we all seek connection, and how we can be a part of community and given that opportunity and not being judged by our circumstances,” he says.

The film centres on a letter Michael writes to his late grandfather, reflecting on their relationship, the memories they shared and the lessons he carries forward. The idea emerged partly from a school assignment in which Michael was asked to describe what made him sad. His response touched on losing his dog and his relationship with his grandfather.

Greenidge saw an opportunity to tell a deeply personal story with universal themes.

“I wanted a story that when families see it, they see themselves,” he says. “I think there’s so much strength in just these people who don’t wear capes that get up every day and they try their best to give their child everything that they can give them.”

Greenidge knows something about perseverance himself. After years working in the film industry, he returned to Hamilton in 2012 to help care for his mother, who died in 2013. He subsequently became a caregiver for his father, who died three years ago.

Throughout that period, he remained connected to filmmaking. The experience also strengthened his desire to tell local stories that celebrate the people and organizations making a difference in Hamilton.

“Sometimes I feel like all we get is the negative news that stands out,” he says. “I would love to create that channel that is inspirational stories of believing in each other, seeing what the community can do.”

Greenidge met Karen and Michael through a mutual friend and watched Michael grow through childhood and into adulthood. Now 21, Michael has graduated from high school as an honours student, works at Terra Greenhouses with his mother, holds a full driver’s licence, and attends Conestoga College.

Greenidge admires Karen Whitell’s perseverance and determination but he’s had to show that himself to get this film made. He self-funded the production and spread filming across five days between June and November 2025, scheduling one day each month to allow time for sensory-friendly preparation. Approximately 40 per cent of the cast and crew are neurodivergent.

The current 16-minute version is a rough cut. Greenidge hopes to secure funding for a short animated sequence so the film can be completed next year. A feature-length screenplay is also in development, with a goal of having approximately 70 per cent of the larger production’s workers be on the autism spectrum.

Funding remains a challenge, but Greenidge is already taking the film to audiences. Screenings have taken place in Belleville and New Jersey, and he hopes to build partnerships with schools and community organizations across Canada and the United States.

The goal is to make each screening the beginning of a conversation. A facilitator’s discussion guide is being developed to help families, educators, and organizations explore neurodiversity, employment, independence, and inclusion.

Greenidge hopes the film will help audiences reconsider assumptions about what people can achieve when they are supported rather than defined by a diagnosis.

“These are the stories that I feel like 10 years from now, someone watches, and it can affect their life.”

NEED TO KNOW

Dear Grandpa, It’s Michael
Wednesday, Oct.28, 7 p.m.
Optimist Club of Stoney Creek
890 Queenston Rd.
Admission is free and the screening will be followed by a community conversation about autism, inclusion and opportunity.
More information is here