Health Law

Father Creates Documentary Film of Son's Cerebral Palsy

Dan Habib is a filmmaker, an activist and a father of an 8-year-old boy with cerebral palsy. Over the past four years, Habib has chronicled the life of his son using film and created a one-hour documentary titled “Including Samuel.”

A Personal Story

The film began as a way for Habib to document his experience as a father of a disabled child, a suggestion made to him by one of Samuel’s doctors.  

“The doctor’s comment was a real catalyst. It gave me an outlet for my fears and confusion,” admitted Habib, who is now a filmmaker in residence for the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire.

But what began as an outlet for coping turned into a film about how individuals with disability assimilate (or fail to) into mainstream society. The documentary not only features Samuel, who can barely speak or hold a pencil, it also features four others who struggle with disability.

Seeking Inclusion

“I wanted to make the world a better place for Samuel. I wanted Samuel to be accepted in the community and society,” Habib said. "Samuel has taught me how I look at everyone around me. He has taught me not to pre-judge anyone by how they talk, or whether they can talk. He will teach a lot of people, which is good, because the world has a lot to learn."

The INclusion Network of Cincinnati has already hosted a screening of Habib’s documentary, and a Cincinnati public broadcasting network aired the documentary on television last week. The film is expected to be distributed to PBS stations in 2009.

 

Full post as published by Cerebral Palsy Law Blog on November 15, 2008 (boomark / email).