Winner of the Best Animated Short Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, Hair Love was conceived and directed by Matthew A. Cherry. In an interview with the Washington Post, Cherry said his goal was twofold: He wanted the film to encourage kids to embrace their natural hair. He also wanted the film to portray black fathers who were deeply present in their children's lives.

Cherry is a former NFL wide receiver turned filmmaker.  He grew up on Chicago's North Side, graduated from  Loyola Academy in Wilmette, and attended  the  University of Akron where he played football and earned a degree in media from UA's School of Communications. He currently is on the staff of Jason Peele's Monkeypaw Productions Studio and was an executive producer for Spike Lee's BlackKklansman.

Watch Matthew Cherry and the illustrator, Vashti Harrison, discuss their book, Hair Love  (2:18) and take a look at some Dads and their Daughters  (8:20) at the beginning of the film's Kickstarter campaign in 2017.