What makes a pioneering filmmaker? Is it talent? Drive? Or perhaps the ability to see the world a little differently? Julia Reichert’s Julia’s Stepping Stones, a 32-minute documentary released on December 18, 2024—two years after her passing—on Netflix, dives into this very question. Directed and produced by Reichert and her husband, Steven Bognar, this film is a reflection on her own life—written and narrated by Julia herself. And yes, it feels like she’s talking directly to you.
The posthumously-released documentary opens with Julia on the phone, chatting casually with someone we don’t know. Well, it turns out it’s us, the viewers. That’s the tone of this documentary—warm, personal, and conversational. It’s as if she’s inviting you over for coffee to share her life story.
Julia doesn’t shy away from addressing the societal norms of her time. In the film, she points out how the “top options” for women’s futures were to become teachers, nurses, or secretaries—or to get married. But Julia was determined to carve out her own path. She speaks of her early dream of becoming a journalist because she believed that understanding each other could resolve conflicts, the passion which later evolved into filmmaking.
The documentary, true to its title, is built around Julia’s “stepping stones”—those important moments that shaped her journey. From working as a “copy boy” at The Cleveland Press in a male-dominated office to dropping out of college and working as a waitress, each experience pushed her closer to filmmaking.
Then there’s her first film, Growing Up Female, which she created as a college project. It explored the lives of women at different ages and stages of life and how they saw themselves. The film was groundbreaking, but when she and her then-partner Jim Klein were offered a contract to sell the rights to it, Julia refused. Why? She wanted the film to reach its intended audience. That decision led her to co-found New Day Films, a “large filmmaker-owned cooperative distributor for independent films,” as she defines it.
Her story is also filled with the social and economic struggles of the post-Civil War era. Through ideologies like socialism, communism, and critiques of capitalism, she redefined herself. Rejecting the imposter identity she once adopted in college, Julia emerges as an advocate for the working class and uses her films to highlight issues of class, race, and gender.
One of the most memorable lines in the documentary is: “The only way to achieve equality was to actually live it.” This belief shaped her work and life. For instance, while making Growing Up Female, she and Jim alternated between shooting and editing, even though Jim preferred editing.
Amidst the archival footage and photos, one particular picture stands out: Julia walking across stepping stones in a forest with her grandchildren. She herself acknowledges the symbolism—it’s a representation of her journey, one step leading to the next, each as important as the last.
The documentary’s biggest strength is its honesty, and the flaws could be said to be its editing, which is choppy, with noticeable jump cuts that can be distracting. And just when you’re fully immersed in her journey, the documentary ends abruptly, leaving you craving for more.
It’s important to note that Julia is no ordinary filmmaker. She is an Oscar-winning documentarian, known for American Factory. While Julia’s Stepping Stones doesn’t explore her Academy success, it does something even more meaningful—it shows us why and how she became the filmmaker she is.
So, is it worth watching? Yes, the documentary feels intimate and like a gentle hug that invites you to reflect on your own journey and the factors that shape it.
Julia Reichert passed away in December 2022 from urothelial cancer at the age of 76.
Film: Julia’s Stepping Stones
Director: Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar
Cast: Julia Reichert
Rating: 3/5 | ★★★✦☆