About/Awards

Directors Statement

 

Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood, yet widely misunderstood. CP can be mild—weakness in one hand—to severe, in which people have little control over movement or speech. Even the most well-meaning passersby may stare curiously at someone with severe CP. Or, thinking it more polite, they may choose to avoid eye contact altogether.

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People with CP experience desires and dreams, love and loss—the same as people without it.

 

Woody’s Order!  takes us on a journey with a man who has CP, 1948 to present day. From a life tenderly and comprehensively documented in photographs and home movies, we cannot and really don’t want to turn away.

 

Our tour guide is his adoring sister. In a stirring, lyrical recitation, she describes experiencing life’s milestones as a sibling of someone with CP and inevitably, his caregiver.

 

The end result humanizes not only the severely disabled, but also the legions of unsung family members responsible for their care. Bonded by a strong, organized network, they share best practices and emotional support online and in meetings.

 

Their lifetimes of altruism often silence a deep, nagging concern: What’s left for me? Woody’s Order!  both asks and answers the question, loud and clear.

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