Julia Reichert | Photo from WSU Office of Communications
Former Wright State University faculty member and award-winning area filmmaker Julia Reichert passes, leaving a legacy of activism and inspiration for future documentarians.
Legacy
According to a Tweet from WSU’s College of Liberal Arts, Reichert passed away Thursday while in Hospice care. As her loved ones and those who knew her grieve, her fans reflect on the legacy the activist left behind.
Reichert, originally from New Jersey, was a WSU professor in the motion pictures department teaching film production for 28 years, according to a newsroom release. In addition to teaching, Reichert was a filmmaker specializing in documentaries and nonfiction films.
Her films include “American Factory,” which won an Oscar, one of the most prestigious academy awards, “Growing up Female,” “Seeing Red” and “Union Maids,” among other works. Due to her work and focus on minority communities, the filmmaker is dubbed the “godmother of documentaries.”
A handful of Reichert’s films focused on issues and stories in the Dayton area, such as her work on “American Factory,” which focused on a local General Motors plant.
She is survived by her daughter Lela Klein.
