Congrats To SDFF Alumni Filmmaker Davina Pardo On Her Emmy Noms!

SDFF alumni filmmaker Davina Pardo and co-director/producer Leah Wolchok have been nominated for two Emmys for their documentary feature Judy Blume Forever (97 mins). Pardo and Wolchok have been nominated in the category of Outstanding Directing for A Documentary/Nonfiction Program, and the film is up for Outstanding Documentary/Non-Fiction Special. The Emmys will be announced during a live broadcast on Monday, Sept. 18.

The feature documents the life and legacy of beloved, trailblazing author Judy Blume, from fearful, imaginative child to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens, to banned writer who continues to fight back against censorship in the present day. Blume’s work opened up discourse on previously taboo subjects, most notably teen sexual discovery, revolutionizing the way millions of readers, particularly young women, understood themselves and their emerging sexuality. Its groundbreaking nature has also put it at the center of debates around book banning, censorship and teen sexuality.

SDFF audiences may remember Pardo for her documentary short Minka (SDFF 2010 and 2017) about American journalist John Roderick and Japanese architect Yoshihiro Takishita’s rescue and renovation of an ancient Japanese farmhouse.

You can find recent interviews with Pardo and Wolchok through Awards Daily, Awards Radar, Gold Derby, and Interview. Judy Blume Forever is available to stream on Amazon Prime.