Today is World Autism Awareness Day, and the AMC Theatres chain has announced a partnership with the Autism Society of America. It includes a series of special movie screenings for families with autistic children. The next of these “sensory friendly films” in St. Louis is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the AMC West Olive, which will be screening the sci-fi ‘toon “Monsters vs. Aliens.”

At Sensory Friendly screenings, the movie volume is turned down and the lights are turned up in deference to the sensitivities of kids with autism. And importantly, the theatre’s “Silence is Golden” policy is suspended, so kids and their parents are free to talk and move around,

Future Sensory Friendly screenings include “Hannah Montana: the Movie” on April 18.

AMC has also announced a committment to hiring individuals with autism. For more information on AMC’s Sensory Friiendly Films presentations and the company’s partnership with the Autism Society of America, visit http://amctheatres.com/promos/sensory/.