How to Care

Brennan Vance, Jon Hallberg

Meet Dan, a 75-year-old artist living with cerebral palsy, and the extraordinary team dedicated to his round-the-clock care.

Why we chose this film.

For people navigating the often isolating experiences of illness, disabilty, and aging, caregivers are an invaluable source of comfort and connection. This film celebrates the role caregivers play in making individuals and communities a little less lonely.

Filmmaker

Inspiration

We made this film as part of a large HRSA (Health Resources Services Administration) and GWEP (Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program) grant, through a combined effort between the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health and the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. We knew that we wanted to amplify the incredible work of direct care workers/direct support professionals (DSP’s), when we connected with Living Well Disability Resources. Early in the preproduction process we were introduced to Dan Stallsworth, and we knew we had our subject! Dan’s joy, despite his physical limitations, is absolutely infectious, and the DSP’s who care for him are simply amazing.

Meet the Filmmakers

Jon Hallberg

Executive Producer

Jon Hallberg

Executive Producer

Brennan Vance is a filmmaker born and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His Emmy-winning cinematography has been featured on HBO, Netflix, PBS, NBC, and Starz and at such film festivals as Tribeca, SXSW, Slamdance, and Full Frame. He wrote and directed the fiction feature The Missing Sun, which took part in the IFP Narrative Labs, received the Special Jury Prize at the Ashland Film Festival, and earned a McKnight Media Arts Fellowship. Vance also produces, directs, and DP’s commercial projects. He has worked with a wide range of institutions and brands including the American Museum of Natural History, the Walker Art Center, Best Buy and Target.

Brennan Vance

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