Anyone that has been following me knows the craziness of moving and taking care of my sibling during pandemic last year. I’m not the only one. I wanted to share Susan Hamovitch’s film this week documenting how difficult it is as adult caregivers.
Ms. Hamovitch is a filmmaker, whose best known feature length documentary, Without Apology, tells the story of her brother, Alan, who lived at a time when having a developmental disability could send you to live in an institution and so at a young age, never having spoken, he was sent to live full time in Letchworth Village. The reasons for Alan’s institutionalization, the kinds of systems that were in place at the time for children with intellectual disabilities were never explained to her. So 35 years later, Ms. Hamovitch embarked on the journey to uncover and reclaim her family’s past, finding, in the process, a tangle of family shame, social history, and ultimately a new, unique relationship with her brother. For more information, visit withoutapology.com.
Other films include Stood for the Storm, the filmmaker’s second feature documentary, about the long aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, told from the perspective of one gutsy woman, known by many as Mama Sue.
Ms. Hamovitch has taught documentary film and film studies at all levels, from 3rd grade Magnet programs in the public schools to graduate students at New School University in New York City. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband.
For more information, please visit the filmmaker’s website at oneeyedcatproductions.com.
Please leave your comments and questions on this post. I personally will make sure Susan gets them.
Enjoy
