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{{short description|American documentary filmmaker}}
{{Short description|American documentary filmmaker}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2010}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2010}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = <!-- include middle initial, if not specified in birth_name --> Rachel Grady
| name = <!-- include middle initial, if not specified in birth_name --> Rachel Grady
| image = Rachel-Single-1920x1280.jpg
| image = Rachel Grady at NORMAN LEAR-JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU.jpg
| alt =
| landscape = yes
| caption = Rachel Grady
| alt =
| caption = Rachel Grady
| birth_name =
| birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} -->
| birth_name =
| birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|Month DD, YYYY}} -->
| birth_place = United States
| birth_place = United States
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place =
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| other_names =
| other_names =
| known_for =
| known_for =
| occupation = Documentary filmmaker
| occupation = Documentary filmmaker
}}
}}


'''Rachel Grady''' is an American documentary filmmaker.
'''Rachel Grady''' is the co-director of ''[[Jesus Camp]]'' (Academy Award nominee), ''[[The Boys of Baraka]]'' (Emmy nominee), ''[[12th & Delaware]]'' (Peabody Award winner), ''[[Detropia|DETROPIA]]'' (Emmy winner), ''Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You'' (2016 Sundance Film Festival), ''[[One of Us (2017 film)|One of Us]]'' (2017 Toronto International Film Festival), and the Showtime docuseries, Love Fraud, which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Rachel is currently co-directing a film for HBO on the silencing of journalists around the world.

She co-directed ''[[Jesus Camp]]'' (Academy Award nominee), ''[[The Boys of Baraka]]'' (Emmy nominee), ''[[12th & Delaware]]'' (Peabody Award winner), ''[[Detropia|DETROPIA]]'' (Emmy winner), ''Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You'' (2016 Sundance Film Festival), ''[[One of Us (2017 film)|One of Us]]'' (2017 Toronto International Film Festival), and the Showtime docuseries, Love Fraud, which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Grady also co-directed ''[[Endangered (2022 film)|Endangered]]'', a documentary for HBO on the threats faced by journalists around the world.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 15, 2020 |title=With Ronan Farrow's New Film, HBO Is All in on Reporters Under Attack |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/01/ronan-farrow-hbo-show |access-date=2022-03-23 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Biography==
Line 24: Line 28:


=== Loki Films ===
=== Loki Films ===
Many of Grady’s prominent film projects have been co-directed and produced by her friend and business partner, [[Heidi Ewing]]. Meeting in 1997, Ewing and Grady found camaraderie in their similar approaches to creative projects.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/heidi-ewing-rachel-grady-detropia-jesus-camp-365365|title=Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady Discuss the Causes and Effects of 'Detropia' (Video)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> Soon thereafter, the two founded Loki Films in 2001,<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/av/larb-radio-hour-controversial-jews-heidi-ewing-rachel-grady-eric-lax-woody-allen/|title=LARB Radio Hour: "Controversial Jews" With Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, and Eric Lax on Woody Allen|website=Los Angeles Review of Books|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> a production company that specializes in both short and feature films, as well as television and commercials.
Many of Grady's prominent film projects have been co-directed and produced by her friend and business partner, [[Heidi Ewing]]. Meeting in 1997, Ewing and Grady found camaraderie in their similar approaches to creative projects.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/heidi-ewing-rachel-grady-detropia-jesus-camp-365365|title=Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady Discuss the Causes and Effects of 'Detropia' (Video)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 26, 2012 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> Soon thereafter, the two founded Loki Films in 2001,<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/av/larb-radio-hour-controversial-jews-heidi-ewing-rachel-grady-eric-lax-woody-allen/|title=LARB Radio Hour: "Controversial Jews" With Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, and Eric Lax on Woody Allen|website=Los Angeles Review of Books|date=December 8, 2017 |access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> a production company that specializes in both short and feature films, as well as television and commercials.


Grady and Ewing approach their filmmaking with particular interest "in the nuances of the human experience and all of its colours and contours."<ref name=":13"/> Says Grady about her experience pursuing these interests: "we have found that in fundamentalist circles, you can learn a lot about human nature…you are asked to believe things that perhaps the majority of society doesn’t agree with.<ref name=":13"/>
Grady and Ewing approach their filmmaking with particular interest "in the nuances of the human experience and all of its colours and contours."<ref name=":13"/> Says Grady about her experience pursuing these interests: "we have found that in fundamentalist circles, you can learn a lot about human nature…you are asked to believe things that perhaps the majority of society doesn’t agree with".<ref name=":13"/>


Being a co-directing team, Grady and Ewing come up with an initial plan and outsource locations and subjects together. From there, the directors separate to conduct solo interviews and filming. When all the footage has been shot, the duo reconvenes to the editing room and compiles their respective material to create their desired film.<ref name=":02"/>
Being a co-directing team, Grady and Ewing come up with an initial plan and outsource locations and subjects together. From there, the directors separate to conduct solo interviews and filming. When all the footage has been shot, the duo reconvenes to the editing room and compiles their respective material to create their desired film.<ref name=":02"/>


=== Film topics ===
=== Film topics ===
Specializing in documentary filmmaking, Grady and Ewing have tackled many controversial topics in their films although they reject the idea that they are “advocacy filmmakers” and say they prefer to have the subjects of their films guide the focus of their stories.<ref name=":02"/>
Specializing in documentary filmmaking, Grady and Ewing have tackled many controversial topics in their films although they reject the idea that they are "advocacy filmmakers" and say they prefer to have the subjects of their films guide the focus of their stories.<ref name=":02"/>


2006’s ''Jesus Camp'' explores an evangelical Christian summer camp for children.<ref name=":2">{{Citation|title=Jesus Camp|date=2019-09-23|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesus_Camp&oldid=917390968|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> Scholar Michael Friesen says that ''Jesus Camp'' raises “important questions about the children's psychological development in a milieu of strong religion.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Friesen|first=Michael|date=2016-08-17|title=Jesus Camp|url=https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1584&context=jrf|journal=Journal of Religion and Faith|volume=11|pages=4}}</ref> Following the release of the film, the camp was forced to close down after garnering negative attention from its portrayal in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003365311_jesuscamp08.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070421164332/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003365311_jesuscamp08.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-04-21|title=The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Pastor will shut down controversial kids camp|date=2007-04-21|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref> Grady and Ewing have been accused of misrepresenting the evangelical Christian religion and approaching the film with an agenda.<ref name=":2" />
2006's ''[[Jesus Camp]]'' explores an evangelical Christian summer camp for children. Scholar Michael Friesen says that ''Jesus Camp'' raises "important questions about the children's psychological development in a milieu of strong religion".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Friesen|first=Michael|date=August 17, 2016|title=Jesus Camp|url=https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1584&context=jrf|journal=Journal of Religion and Faith|volume=11|pages=4}}</ref> Following the release of the film, the camp was forced to close down after garnering negative attention from its portrayal in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003365311_jesuscamp08.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070421164332/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003365311_jesuscamp08.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-04-21|title=The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Pastor will shut down controversial kids camp|date=April 21, 2007|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref>


Loki films' feature documentary ''[[One of Us (2017 film)|One of Us]]'' debuted on Netflix in 2017. The film exposes many elements of Brooklyn’s [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] Jewish community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-one-us-filmmakers-gained-access-insular-hasidic-jewish-community-1054660|title=How 'One of Us' Filmmakers Gained Access to the Insular Hasidic Jewish Community|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref>
Loki films' feature documentary ''[[One of Us (2017 film)|One of Us]]'' debuted on Netflix in 2017. The film exposes many elements of Brooklyn's [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] Jewish community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-one-us-filmmakers-gained-access-insular-hasidic-jewish-community-1054660|title=How 'One of Us' Filmmakers Gained Access to the Insular Hasidic Jewish Community|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=November 9, 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref>


While developing the framework for ''One of Us,'' Grady said, “we started the film with what we always start all projects with, which is personal interest, curiosity.<ref name=":13"/> The film intimately deals with the themes of domestic and sexual abuse and the great lengths individuals must go to remove themselves from the community. Grady described the individuals who decided to leave their orthodox communities as “having an enormous amount of bravery and desperation.<ref name=":13"/>
While developing the framework for ''One of Us,'' Grady said, "we started the film with what we always start all projects with, which is personal interest, curiosity".<ref name=":13"/> The film intimately deals with the themes of domestic and sexual abuse and the great lengths individuals must go to remove themselves from the community. Grady described the individuals who decided to leave their orthodox communities as "having an enormous amount of bravery and desperation".<ref name=":13"/>


Writer David Edelstein of Vulture said that Grady and Ewing did not attempt to make an “objective documentary” but noted the potential challenges that attempting to infiltrate the Hasidic community would pose even to obtain their side of the controversial stories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/one-of-us-review.html|website=www.vulture.com|access-date=2019-10-12}}</ref>
Writer David Edelstein of Vulture said that Grady and Ewing did not attempt to make an "objective documentary" but noted the potential challenges that attempting to infiltrate the Hasidic community would pose even to obtain their side of the controversial stories.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/one-of-us-review.html|website=vulture.com|access-date=2019-10-12|title=One of Us is a Fascinating Look at Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism |date=November 7, 2017 }}</ref>


== Awards ==
== Awards ==
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|2005||''[[The Boys of Baraka]]''||[[Baraka School]], Kenya
|2005||''[[The Boys of Baraka]]''||[[Baraka School]], Kenya
|-
|-
|''2006''||''[[Jesus Camp]]''||[[Kids On Fire School of Ministry]], [[Becky Fischer]]
|''2006''||''[[Jesus Camp]]''||[[Kids on Fire School of Ministry]] and [[Becky Fischer]]
|-
|-
|2008||''The Lord's Boot Camp''||[[Teen Missions International]]
|2008||''The Lord's Boot Camp''||[[Teen Missions International]]
Line 62: Line 66:
|-
|-
|2012
|2012
|The Education of Mohammad Hussein
|''The Education of Mohammad Hussein''
|
|
|-
|-
|2016||Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You||[[Norman Lear]]
|2016||''Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You''||[[Norman Lear]]
|-
|2016
|''A Dream Preferred''
|Taharka Bros.
|-
|-
|2017||''[[One of Us (documentary)|One of Us]]''||Documents three people as they adapt to civilization outside of their Hasidic Jewish community
|2017||''[[One of Us (documentary)|One of Us]]''||Documents three people as they adapt to civilization outside of their Hasidic Jewish community
|-
|2020
|''[[Love Fraud]]''
|[[True crime]] documentary miniseries revolves around [[Richard Scott Smith]], who used the internet to prey upon women in search of love and conned them
|-
|2022
|''[[Endangered (2022 film)|Endangered]]''
|An investigation of threats against journalists in the United States and internationally, from intimidation to physical violence.
|-
|}
|}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
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{{Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady}}
{{Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Grady, Rachel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grady, Rachel}}
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[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:American women film directors]]
[[Category:American documentary film directors]]
[[Category:American documentary film directors]]
[[Category:The Field School alumni]]
[[Category:The Field School alumni]]
[[Category:Women documentary filmmakers]]
[[Category:American women documentary filmmakers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]

Latest revision as of 14:31, 31 December 2023

Rachel Grady
Rachel Grady
Born
United States
OccupationDocumentary filmmaker

Rachel Grady is an American documentary filmmaker.

She co-directed Jesus Camp (Academy Award nominee), The Boys of Baraka (Emmy nominee), 12th & Delaware (Peabody Award winner), DETROPIA (Emmy winner), Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016 Sundance Film Festival), One of Us (2017 Toronto International Film Festival), and the Showtime docuseries, Love Fraud, which had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Grady also co-directed Endangered, a documentary for HBO on the threats faced by journalists around the world.[1]

Biography

[edit]

She is the stepdaughter of James Grady, author and investigative journalist.[2] Grady was raised Jewish and still considers herself Jewish.[3]

Career

[edit]

Loki Films

[edit]

Many of Grady's prominent film projects have been co-directed and produced by her friend and business partner, Heidi Ewing. Meeting in 1997, Ewing and Grady found camaraderie in their similar approaches to creative projects.[4] Soon thereafter, the two founded Loki Films in 2001,[5] a production company that specializes in both short and feature films, as well as television and commercials.

Grady and Ewing approach their filmmaking with particular interest "in the nuances of the human experience and all of its colours and contours."[5] Says Grady about her experience pursuing these interests: "we have found that in fundamentalist circles, you can learn a lot about human nature…you are asked to believe things that perhaps the majority of society doesn’t agree with".[5]

Being a co-directing team, Grady and Ewing come up with an initial plan and outsource locations and subjects together. From there, the directors separate to conduct solo interviews and filming. When all the footage has been shot, the duo reconvenes to the editing room and compiles their respective material to create their desired film.[4]

Film topics

[edit]

Specializing in documentary filmmaking, Grady and Ewing have tackled many controversial topics in their films although they reject the idea that they are "advocacy filmmakers" and say they prefer to have the subjects of their films guide the focus of their stories.[4]

2006's Jesus Camp explores an evangelical Christian summer camp for children. Scholar Michael Friesen says that Jesus Camp raises "important questions about the children's psychological development in a milieu of strong religion".[6] Following the release of the film, the camp was forced to close down after garnering negative attention from its portrayal in the film.[7]

Loki films' feature documentary One of Us debuted on Netflix in 2017. The film exposes many elements of Brooklyn's Hasidic Jewish community.[8]

While developing the framework for One of Us, Grady said, "we started the film with what we always start all projects with, which is personal interest, curiosity".[5] The film intimately deals with the themes of domestic and sexual abuse and the great lengths individuals must go to remove themselves from the community. Grady described the individuals who decided to leave their orthodox communities as "having an enormous amount of bravery and desperation".[5]

Writer David Edelstein of Vulture said that Grady and Ewing did not attempt to make an "objective documentary" but noted the potential challenges that attempting to infiltrate the Hasidic community would pose even to obtain their side of the controversial stories.[9]

Awards

[edit]

Jesus Camp premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 79thAcademy Awards.[5]Detropia was placed on the shortlist for Best Documentary Feature at the 85th Academy Awards and One of Us garnered critical acclaim with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[10]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Film Subject matter
2005 The Boys of Baraka Baraka School, Kenya
2006 Jesus Camp Kids on Fire School of Ministry and Becky Fischer
2008 The Lord's Boot Camp Teen Missions International
2010 Freakonomics Economic theory as described by Steven Levitt's book Freakonomics
2010 12th & Delaware A crisis pregnancy center and an abortion clinic in Fort Pierce, Florida
2012 Detropia Detroit, Michigan
2012 The Education of Mohammad Hussein
2016 Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Norman Lear
2016 A Dream Preferred Taharka Bros.
2017 One of Us Documents three people as they adapt to civilization outside of their Hasidic Jewish community
2020 Love Fraud True crime documentary miniseries revolves around Richard Scott Smith, who used the internet to prey upon women in search of love and conned them
2022 Endangered An investigation of threats against journalists in the United States and internationally, from intimidation to physical violence.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "With Ronan Farrow's New Film, HBO Is All in on Reporters Under Attack". Vanity Fair. January 15, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Rachel Grady". IMDb. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady Interview for Jesus Camp - The Cinema Source-TCS". May 26, 2013. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady Discuss the Causes and Effects of 'Detropia' (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. August 26, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "LARB Radio Hour: "Controversial Jews" With Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, and Eric Lax on Woody Allen". Los Angeles Review of Books. December 8, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  6. ^ Friesen, Michael (August 17, 2016). "Jesus Camp". Journal of Religion and Faith. 11: 4.
  7. ^ "The Seattle Times: Nation & World: Pastor will shut down controversial kids camp". April 21, 2007. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  8. ^ "How 'One of Us' Filmmakers Gained Access to the Insular Hasidic Jewish Community". The Hollywood Reporter. November 9, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  9. ^ "One of Us is a Fascinating Look at Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism". vulture.com. November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  10. ^ One of Us (2017), retrieved October 12, 2019
[edit]