Marion Lipschutz facts for kids
Marion Lipschutz is an American filmmaker who produces, writes, and directs documentaries. Documentaries are movies about real-life people and events. She is known for making award-winning films like The Education of Shelby Knox and Young Lakota.
Marion Lipschutz often works with her partner, Rose Rosenblatt. Together, they run a company called Incite Pictures. Their goal is to create documentaries that are not only entertaining but also teach people about important issues happening in the world today.
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Making Important Films
Marion has created many films that have been shown on the TV channel PBS.
In 1997, she co-directed a documentary about a controversial medicine from France. A year later, she worked on a three-part series called Fatherhood USA. Hosted by Senator Bill Bradley, this series explored what it was like to be a father in the 1990s. She also directed a film about Greta Holby, a fashion model and opera producer, for a PBS show called IN THE PRIME.
Her 2000 film, Live Free or Die, was part of the PBS series POV. This film gave viewers an inside look at the life of a doctor who was at the center of a major public debate. In 2001, Marion also co-produced a medical documentary series called CODE BLUE: New Orleans for The Learning Channel.
The Education of Shelby Knox
One of her most famous films is The Education of Shelby Knox. This documentary won many awards. It was praised for its excellent camera work at the famous Sundance Film Festival. It also won audience awards at the SXSW Film Festival and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The film tells the story of a teenage girl who stands up for her beliefs and challenges the views of her community.
Young Lakota
In 2013, Marion co-directed and produced the documentary Young Lakota. The film follows a young Lakota woman named Sunny Clifford. She returns to her home on the Pine Ridge Reservation with big dreams to make a positive change. This inspiring film won Best Documentary at the Red Nation Film Festival and was shown at many other festivals across the country.
How She Got Started
Marion Lipschutz began her career researching old films and teaching video classes in New York City schools. She helped research several TV series, including one about the history of American movies for PBS.
Her first big project as a producer and director was a film called Hard Choices. It was about a steel town that was struggling after its main factory closed down. Later, she worked for the TV channel HBO on several shows in the America Undercover series and the Real ... series. These shows explored many different topics about life in America.
Major Awards
Marion's films have been recognized with many honors. Here are a few of them:
- The Audience Award at SXSW
- The Emerging Picture Award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
- The Women in Leadership Award from the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
- The Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for protecting free speech
- Excellence in Cinematography at The Sundance Film Festival
- The Jury Prize for Best Documentary at The Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Selected Filmography
- BEI BEI (Coming Soon)
- Young Lakota (2013)
- The Education of Shelby Knox (2005)
- Live Free or Die (2000)
- Fatherhood USA (1998)
Education
- New York University: Master's Degree in Cinema Studies.
- Vassar College: Bachelor's Degree in English.
What Critics Say
Reviewers have praised Marion's work. The New York Times called her films "balanced and truthful." The Washington Post wrote that her filmmaking style "put us in the middle of situations we otherwise might never be in." This means her films help audiences understand different people's lives.
