We are dedicated to making documentary films that explore social issues and the people whose vision and drive often shape our view of those issues. Often overlooked, these people view our world as a work in progress and find ways to make it a better place. We hope to make their voices heard above the din of popular culture.

Latest News:
On May 21st, 2008, WGBY in Springfield will broadcast Step by Step: Keeping the Arts Alive, a half-hour documentary which looks at an innovative ballroom dance program for fifth graders in Springfield MA.

Tomboys! Feisty Girls and Spirited Women, co-produced and co-directed by Christian McEwen, is being distributed by Women Make Movies. The piece has been featured in the following film festivals: Brattleboro Women's Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival, Michigan Women's Music Festival. Tomboys was selected for presentation, along with Someone Sang for Me, by the Northampton Independent Film Festival.

PBS station WGBY (Springfield, MA) commissioned Julie Akeret to produce and direct a piece documenting the Polish community in the Connecticut River Valley, Sharing Stories: Polish Life in Our Valley. WGBY was awarded the National Award for Excellence in the Special Achievement category for its day of Polish programming, featuring Sharing Stories: Polish Life in Our Valley. The piece is currently being offered to PBS stations nationally through American Public Television.

Julie Akeret has begun work on her latest documentary, From Somalia to Springfield, chronicling the resettlement of Somali Bantu refugees to Springfield, MA. Grants from the Community Foundation of Western Mass. and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities have provided initial funding for this project. In addition to the documentary, Julie helped create an arts and literacy group for the Somali women of Springfield that meets weekly.
 

Current Projects

Step by Step

Tomboys! Feisty Girls and Spirited Women

Someone Sang for Me

Looking for Common Ground

Filmography

Biographical Information

Contact Information

Julie Akeret is an independent filmmaker working in western Massachusetts. She has a BA from Columbia University in psychology. For the past twenty years, she has worked in various capacities of the film business: sound editor, assistant film editor, soundperson, cameraperson, and director and producer. Her films have won many awards, such as First Prize, USA Film Festival and Best Religion & Philosophy Program, Birmingham International Educational Film Festival. Julie lives in Leeds, Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

Julie has won the following grants for her recent work:
  • Valentine Foundation - for Tomboys: Feisty Girls and Spirited Women
  • The Lucius and Eva Eastman Foundation - for Tomboys: Feisty Girls and Spirited Women and Someone Sang for Me
  • Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities (pre-production and distribution) - for Someone Sang for Me
  • Massachusetts Media Fellowship - for Someone Sang for Me and From Somalia to Springfield
  • Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts - for Someone Sang for Me and From Somalia to Springfield
  • The Sister Fund (New York City) - for Someone Sang for Me
  • A generous grant from Dr. Camille O. Cosby - for Someone Sang for Me
  • Frameline Post-production grant - for Looking for Common Ground
  • Northampton (MA) Arts Council - for Looking for Common Ground
  • Women's Interart (New York City) - for Not Just Garbage
The Fund for Women Artists has provided fiscal sponsorship for several of Julie Akeret's productions.

akeretfilms@verizon.net

Office phone
413-586-1209

Last revised: April 13, 2006.