About this Short Film
Imperfect (Simon Northey, Australia, 2014) follows an intimate, conversational account of a woman who realises her partner's reservedness is understood through learning about Asperger's. The film foregrounds domestic relationships and communication, using candid dialogue and gentle warmth to explore how knowledge, empathy and small creative gestures can rebuild connection. Its tone is calm, reflective and humane, inviting audiences to reconsider assumptions about emotional expression and to value person-centred understanding. Viewers seeking insight into neurodiversity, partners and families navigating difference, and those interested in nuanced portrayals of everyday care will find it rewarding. A quietly powerful short that resonates with the Focus on Ability festival's commitment to inclusive storytelling.
Film Details
Film Transcript
"I don't know. I just want him to tell me how he feels and if he feels the same way about me as I feel about him, but he just won't talk about his feelings."
"I've known you since you were a little girl, Lily, and I've known your mum my whole life. I think I may know why your mum sent you to me. Have you ever met my husband Dan?"
"Yeah, a few times. He's kind of quiet."
"Quiet, yeah. He's very quiet and he has a lot of trouble expressing himself too. He likes to keep his thoughts to himself. When we met about 10 years ago I didn't know why he wasn't showing the same feelings towards me as I was showing him. Then, one day about nine years ago, when I was considering breaking up with him, I got a call from my sister and she asked me to go with her to get her son diagnosed as his behaviour was developing unusually. I sat there with them in front of a panel of experts and they started describing my nephew's Asperger's syndrome and the effects, and suddenly it all just hit me — Dan had Asperger's too."
"Oh my God. How did you react?"
"Honestly, I was relieved. Relieved for my sister and my nephew that they now had a name for it and they could learn to adapt and move forward with their lives, and so could I with Dan, because I loved him. I didn't want to break up with him, I just didn't want to feel empty anymore, and all of a sudden I didn't."
"Wow."
"But for a year I went through misunderstanding of why a man I loved so much would be withdrawing into himself, and I took that as a rejection of my love and affection for him. I'd keep trying, keep pushing him until I was exhausted."
"That must have been so hard."
"It was. But the guys I dated before Dan, though, well, they weren't right for me. I love drawing and artwork, yet they never seemed to care about my artwork. I'll never forget dating Dan — he'd always take the time to look at my art and appreciate it. He genuinely was interested. So one day he decided to make some artwork of his own."
"I didn't know Dan did art."
"Well, he doesn't, but as he couldn't tell me how he felt, he showed me. He drew me a picture of how much he loved me and that meant so much to me. But I'd started to forget that about a year into our relationship because he couldn't tell me, until I found out he had Asperger's. I'll never forget again. Actually, there's that picture in that frame right over there."
"It's beautiful."
"Thank you. Of course I asked Dan to come around one day as I wanted to discuss some things with him and together we ended up looking up Asperger's syndrome on the internet. I will never forget his reaction."
"How did he react?"
"He laughed. He actually couldn't believe it. He had always felt so uncomfortable and out of place his whole life and had seen so many counsellors, yet not one of them had ever said to him that it wasn't his fault, that he had Asperger's and he was just wired a little differently. He was never rejecting me; my love for him was there once again. And since then he's not on his own and I'll always be there for him. I love him so much. He's not the perfect man I once dreamed about — he's imperfect — but you know what? That's even better. Imperfection is beautiful."
"I never knew there was so much to people with Asperger's. Actually, I didn't know anything about it until today."
"Well, I hope it gives you a bit more insight into your boyfriend. If he does have Asperger's, know that he just might have a bit of a hard time explaining how he feels and telling you how he feels — he's just wired a bit differently. People with disability should be shown just as much love as anyone else. What's your boyfriend's name, by the way? You haven't told me anything else about him."
"Well, he's a musician. He's really talented. His name's Josh Miller. He's really tall, brown hair, brown eyes."
"Hold on a sec. I've got something to show you. Is this him?"
"Oh my God, yes. How do you know him? How do you have a photo of him?"
"He is that same boy I saw a panel of experts talk to about Asperger's all those years ago. He's my nephew."
Filmmaker
Simon Northey is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Simon Northey.
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8 comments
Great Film Simon Well Written Lovely Ending.
Great Work
Thought Provoking Nicely Done.
An Original And Informative Performance By The Cast. A Subject Close To Our Heart. I Enjoyed The Unexpected Narrative Twist. Looking Forward To Your Next Film Simon.
Great Idea
Truly A Natural And Powerful Film.
Great Stuff
Great Film With A Very Strong Message. Well Done Dana.