Film puts challenges of autism in the frame

In Jet Li's latest film, Ocean Heaven, he plays a much different role than he does in his signature kung fu blockbusters. In the film, he plays the loving single father of his son, Dafu. The father has, alone, taken care of Dafu for more than 20 years and, after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, begins to worry about the boy's future.

People have literally been sobbing in the cinema, including Tian Huiping, a 53-year-old mother, who cried not least because the heart-wrenching story on the screen was inspired the real life story of her and her 24-year-old son, who was diagnosed with autism when he was four years old.

Tian quit her job in southwest China's Chongqing city 17 years ago to move to Beijing and establish Stars and Rain, the first nonprofit organization for education about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She says she hoped to change the way people view children with the disorder. After nearly two decades, she said she sees more people showing sympathy, but added there are still major challenges.