Ben's Animals: the U.S. Premiere

About the Event

Ben's Animals, a heartwarming and visually rich documentary by award-winning filmmaker Evan Beloff, will host its U.S. premiere at Culture Lab LIC on April 4, 2026.

Ben's Animals follows Ben Lachapelle, a 23-year-old Canadian autistic artist and passionate environmentalist whose imaginative connection to animals becomes a powerful voice for change. Told through a blend of hand-drawn animation, childhood archives, trite storytelling, and personal interviews, the documentary offers a poetic, moving, and joyful portrait of a remarkable young man.

Presented during International Autism Month, this public screening aims to raise awareness of the strengths and needs of autistic individuals while celebrating neurodiversity.

In addition to the screening, the event will feature a unique live pop-up exhibition and a post-screening reception, offering audiences an immersive and communal experience that extends beyond the film.

Details

• Date: April 4, 2026
• Location: Culture Lab LIC, 30-30 47th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101
• Doors Open: 2:30 PM
• Film Screening: 3:00 PM
• Q&A with Ben Lachapelle & filmmakers following the screening
• Exhibition & Reception with LIVE demos by Ben from 4:30 to 6 PM

About the Film 

At its core, Ben's Animals explores creativity, identity, and how art can bridge the gap between isolation and community. It also reflects on the challenges faced by families navigating neurodivergence in a fragmented support system, offering an honest, tender look at the love between a mother and son.

Directed and co-written by Evan Beloff (Once a Nazi, Kosher Love, Daughters of the Voice), Ben's Animals was co-written, edited and filmed by Noah Leon, his longtime collaborator who previously worked with Beloff on Just As I Am: The Shira Choir and Meet, Pray, Love: Return of the Love Rabbi.

"This isn't just a documentary about autism," says Beloff. "It's about how one young man sees the world-and how much we all stand to gain by listening."