Celebrating Julia Reichert: Her Life and Legacy

The Cleveland International Film Festival is honored to be presenting a special tribute to the late and remarkable documentary filmmaker Julia Reichert. Consisting of three new documentary short films from Reichert’s long-time partner, Steven Bognar, the program will celebrate the legacy and spirit of Reichert, with never-before-seen footage of her life and work. Special guests will be invited to make remarks alongside Bognar throughout the program.

Julia Reichert was an incredible filmmaker known for giving voice to the voiceless and for standing up for women, minorities, and the working class. Throughout her life, Reichert wore many hats, including activist, filmmaker, Oscar® winner, gardener, and grandmother. In 2022 she passed away in her home in Yellow Springs, Ohio at the age of 76. A joyful, passionate, radical artist, Reichert and her legacy live on in her rich filmography, including “A Lion in the House” (2006), “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” (2009), and “American Factory” (2019), which all previously screened at the Cleveland International Film Festival, as well as “9TO5: STORY OF A MOVEMENT” (2020), which is back at CIFF48 as part of our CIFF Retro series. 

A poignant collection of new short films from Julia’s professional and life partner, Steven Bognar, that highlight the inspiring story of the woman so often behind the camera, CELEBRATING JULIA REICHERT: HER LIFE AND LEGACY is a heartwarming tribute to an exceptional filmmaker we are honored to call a CIFF Alum. “Remembering Julia” takes us through her incredible directorial work across the decades, “Julia Home Movies” is a poetically intimate look back on her life, and “Julia’s Stepping Stones” is a beautiful reflection of her journey narrated by Reichert herself. —G.S.

GUEST(S) IN ATTENDANCE