Filmmakers William A. Whiteford and Susan Hannah Hadary are a dynamic team noted for celebrating the human spirit through their works. They have dedicated themselves to documenting inspirational stories of "ordinary people," especially children living with exceptional life circumstances.
Whiteford and Hadary received an Academy Award® this year in the category of Documentary Short Subject for KING GIMP, which debuts June 5 on HBO. Directed by Whiteford and co-produced by Hadary and Whiteford, KING GIMP tells the courageous story of young, physically challenged artist Dan Keplinger.
Whiteford and Hadary began exploring their passion for subjects focusing on children with disabilities early in their careers. Whiteford attended University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC); he began working on small-budget projects that dealt with "people stories," which he labeled "spirit stories." Producer Susan Hadary graduated from Bennington College and got an advanced degree from Catholic University. After graduating from Bennington, she taught at a missionary school in Africa, where she worked with blind children. She continued her work with the vision-impaired at American University.
