- Welcome to POV.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
Tonight, we bring you a story that's been called
a 'touching, brutally sincere tale of suffering, waiting, and love'
through the film He's My Brother.
The documentary tells the story of Peter Hanberg,
who was born deaf and blind.
Navigating his life with only smell, taste and touch,
Peter relies on his family to be his eyes and ears.
The film is an emotional rollercoaster
that literally starts with Peter and his sister, Christine,
riding an actual roller coaster.
Recently diagnosed with autism, Peter's condition is so rare
that only three other Scandanavian residents
share this condition.
Now 30 years old, He's My Brother explores the issues
facing Peter and his family
as his parents get on in years, and soon,
it will be only his sister Christine to look after him,
a lot to take on for one person--
especially when there are no assisted living facilities
at the moment that can provide the care Peter needs.
He's My Brother is directed by Cille Hannibal, who is
also an accomplished editor and cinematographer.
If you're wondering how Hannibal found this project,
it was brought to her by the film's co-director,
who happens to be Peter's sister, Christine Hanberg,
herself an aspiring documentarian.
Christine's contributions to the project
included archival family footage and voiceover tracks.
Truly a collaborative effort between these two women.
Hannibal says that aesthetically,
Christine provided a look for the film from the inside
and Hannibal brought a stylistic look from the outside,
saying her challenge in directing
was to capture intimacy, sincerity, and respect,
and finding where to actually put the camera
for each scene so as not to disrupt that balance.
At first, Hannibal set out to make a film about Peter himself,
but then thought it seemed arrogant to think
that she could actually tell a story
while having no idea what's going on in his mind.
At that point,
the focus shifted more to Christine
and the challenges facing the whole family.
Challenges to not only see that a loved one is cared for,
but also lives a dignified life.
He's My Brother starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.