The University of Rochester and the Golisano Foundation will host Dan Habib, an award-winning filmmaker and photojournalist, for a Rochester Area Film Premiere of Including Samuel at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 21, at the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House.
The Rochester movie premiere of Including Samuel will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. During his presentation, Habib will share his observances over the years as he documented his family's efforts to include Samuel in every facet of their lives. He also will share how he and his wife learned more about being effective advocates for Samuel and how they learned to see Samuel's disability as an intrinsic part of who he is. Through his 58-minute documentary, Habib hopes to inspire the public, especially anyone connected to education, to talk about inclusion in a more informed and innovative way.
Habib's new documentary film, Including Samuel, examines the educational and social inclusion of youth with disabilities and shares the benefits and challenges of combining those with disabilities with mainstream children in classrooms and activities. The film is built on the efforts of Habib and his family to include their son Samuel, 8, who has cerebral palsy, in every aspect of family, community, and school life. Including Samuel also chronicles the lives of four other people with disabilities—autism, schizophrenia and cerebral palsy—and features interviews with parents, teachers, principals, public education officials, and disability rights experts.
The film won the 2007 Positive Images in Media award from TASH, an international group committed to the full inclusion of people with disabilities. The film was named "Best Documentary" at the 2007 Somewhat North of Boston Film Festival, and has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered, and in the Washington Post and the Boston Globe.
Habib, who has a particular interest in issues related to children and education, is Filmmaker-in-Residence at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Prior to joining UNH in April of 2008, Habib was the photography editor of the Concord Monitor since 1995. In 2006 and 2008, he was named the national Photography Editor of the Year for papers under 100,000 circulation. He was a staff photographer with the Monitor from 1988-1992.
Habib has been named New Hampshire Photographer of the Year six times. He has been a judge of Pulitzer Prizes, Pictures of the Year, Best of Photojournalism and White House News Photographer's Association. He was one of 10 young photojournalists from around the world chosen for the 1995 World Press Masterclass in Amsterdam.
The event is sponsored by the Golisano Foundation and the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education, Disabilities Cluster, and Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities. As part of a continued effort to help youth with developmental disabilities transition to a meaningful adult life, the Warner School, the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities, and the Golisano Foundation have developed a unique partnership to look at ways to improve the transition process from high school to the adult world in which students with disabilities can reach their own hopes and dreams and become full members of their community.
The event is free and open to the public. The film is open captioned, and a sign language interpreter will be provided for the discussion. Reservations are required. For more information about the event or to reserve a spot, please contact the Warner School at (585) 276-3986 or e-mail events@warner.rochester.edu. To learn more about Including Samuel, please visit www.includingsamuel.com.
About the Golisano Foundation
The Golisano Foundation awards grants to organizations helping individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Since its inception in 1985, the Foundation has supported programs and initiatives on behalf of an underserved, largely unrecognized segment of the population. In serving as a proactive partner with service providers, organizations, and the community, the Foundation has enabled those with disabilities to more fully participate in the life of the community and created an environment of dignity and care for these individuals and their families.