BANGOR – Going to the movies is something many families can do without a second thought. We’re conditioned, even before the lights go down to be quiet, turn off your electronics, and buy some popcorn. But for many families, the cinematic experience is difficult, if not entirely impossible.

When Shane Leonard met his girlfriend Janice, he also met her autistic son. All were avid movie fans, but Leonard found out quickly the difficulty involved in bringing the young man to regular shows. Back in Illinois, Janice would travel 2 hours to attend sensory friendly shows that were put on by the AMC on a monthly basis. But when she moved to Maine she was saddened to find no such options in the area – at least not regularly.