AFT Member Susan MacLaury’s Inocente Wins the Academy Award
for Best Short Documentary Film
Congratulations to Susan MacLaury for her film Inocente which has won the Academy Award in the category for best short documentary! She shares her Academy Award as co-producer with her husband Albie Hecht. This is the second documentary from her production company to be nominated for an Academy Award. Susan is dually degreed in social work and health education and teaches at Kean University. She is a member of the Kean Federation of Teachers, AFT-AFL/CIO and serves as Member-at-Large as part of the local’s elected leadership.
Inocente tells the story of a homeless, undocumented 15 year-old artist who lives in San Diego with her mother and three younger brothers. At the time of filming, they had been homeless for nine years, moving in and out of more than 25 shelters and other temporary residences. Susan served as Executive Producer of the film, which was screened at the United State Congress on February 5th.
The Academy Award® winning husband and wife team are the co-founders and driving force behind the non-profit production company Shine Global and Emmy winners for its first film, War/Dance. Together they executive produced Shine’s second feature documentary, The Harvest/La Cosecha. Albie is the former president of entertainment for Nickelodeon and Spike TV. He is currently president of Worldwide Biggies, a transmedia company he founded. Susan is the Executive Director of Shine Global. Shine Global is dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of children through films that raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change.
Susan stated, “I believe strongly in the power of film to educate, both in and out of the classroom, and to promote genuine social change. We hope the win brings more attention to the millions of kids like Inocente who are homeless, undocumented, and/or affected by cuts in arts education funding” We salute her for the commitment and integrity with which she puts her values into action in her films, in her classroom and in her service to our colleagues as an elected member of the KFT leadership.
For more about Inocente and Shine Global go to:
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