Julia's Stepping Stones

Julia Reichert, who passed away after a long battle with cancer in December 2022, was the director of numerous acclaimed films, including Union Maids and American Factory, and a founder of the groundbreaking, filmmaker-owned distribution collaborative New Day Films. In the few years before she died, Julia began sharing her own story, and remarkably, collaborated on making this short documentary with her husband and filmmaking partner, Steven Bognar, who edited and completed the film. Here, Julia recounts the path she took to becoming a filmmaker: her upbringing and education, the joy she found working in radio, and her interest in working people and the women's movement, which led to the making of her first film, Growing Up Female (1971). The excitement and inflection in her voice as she shares these milestones and memories enhances an incredible collection of personal photographs and film excerpts. Through this poignant montage of recollections, Julia's essence shines through-how her vibrant curiosity about the experiences of others shaped the stories she documented on screen.