Kids With Cameras

Director: Alex Rotaru
Category: Health; Education
Total Running Time: 60 min.
Release Date: 2009
Website: http://kidswithcamerasmovie.com

Synopsis

Kids with Cameras follows the progress and challenges of a group of children, aged 11 to 19 with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as they engage in an intensive film camp taught by national award-winning educator Brad Koepenick and organized by Actors for Autism. After teaching many children, Koepenick decided to hold a camp specifically for children with autism.

This film documents how one organization is addressing a neurological disorder through creativity and innovative teaching. More than any other nation, the United States has recognized the problem of autism.

Trailer

About the Filmmaker

ALEX ROTARU was born in Bucharest, Romania, to playwright Eugen Rotaru and actress Maria Rotaru. After an early career as a child actor, Alex got a degree in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by a stint studying film at the Sorbonne in Paris, followed by a masters of fine arts from University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Rotaru worked as cinematographer, editor and producer for productions that aired on PBS, HBO, Discovery and the BBC and received in 2006 Christopher Award for co-producing, shooting and editing the PBS POV documentary The Hobart Shakespeareans. In addition to Kids with Cameras, Rotaru directed the award-winning feature documentary They Came To Play, about the Van Cliburn Amateur Piano Competition. Rotaru is currently directing Shakespeare High, a feature documentary about the DTASC High School Shakespeare Competition. In addition, one of Rotaru's screenplays won first prize and financing from the Center for National Cinema in Romania, and is slated for production in 2011. Rotaru divides his time among Los Angeles, Paris and Bucharest.