Susan Morgan Cooper, a renowned documentary film director and producer, was born and raised in a small village in Wales where her parents staged plays to raise funds for charity. After relocating to America, she landed a minor role in a Clint Eastwood film, but her true passion lay in film editing, not acting.
In 1991, Cooper's life took a dramatic turn when she met a 16-year-old Croatian girl displaced by the Balkan War. This encounter inspired her to create her first documentary, "Mirjana- One Girl's Journey". She went on to produce and direct a documentary television series, "Heroes and Sheroes", which showcased ordinary individuals performing extraordinary acts of kindness.
Next, Cooper spent three months filming in Tuscany for "The Making Of Shadows in the Sun", a documentary directed by Brad Mirman and featuring Harvey Keitel, Joshua Jackson, Claire Forlani, and Giancarlo Giannini.
Her subsequent documentary, "An Unlikely Weapon", garnered widespread acclaim for its portrayal of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Eddie Adams and his Saigon Execution photo, which contributed to the end of the Vietnam War. The Hollywood Reporter praised the film as "a terrific documentary".
Cooper then traveled to China to direct and produce "Mulberry Child", a film that explores the emotional disconnect between a present-day mother and daughter, tracing its roots back to Mao's Cultural Revolution. Roger Ebert awarded the film three and a half stars, calling it "a powerful and touching film".
In collaboration with Cass Warner, Cooper wrote and produced "HOPPER: In His Own Words", a documentary about the iconic actor Dennis Hopper.
Her latest film, "To the Moon and Back", delves into the story behind the Russian Adoption Ban and its profound impact on hundreds of American families and thousands of Russian orphans. The Huffington Post hailed the award-winning film as "a highly evocative exposé".
Currently, Cooper is in post-production on "Fatal Distraction", a documentary that tells the tragic story of an innocent father wrongfully sentenced to life without parole due to police misinformation and media sensationalism.
Additionally, she is in pre-production on a narrative feature film, "East L.A. Kings", based on the true story of a police officer who transforms a group of troubled boys into a championship roller hockey team through the P.A.L. program.
