Experiencing Interruptions?

HELLO TO JULIA

When Julia was born, doctors gave her only months to live. Her parents were told to "take her off the ventilator and let her go." Nevertheless, they refused to give up on their little princess. Julia beat the odds and survived, but after two years in a medical facility she was still not eating, talking, or moving at all. In a drastic leap of faith, parents Marcelo and Milene took their daughter home and enrolled her in a unique hippotherapy program at the nonprofit Special Strides. Despite their disbelief, they hoped against hope that this would be the key to bringing their precious Julia to life.

  • Jenna A. Bush
    Director
  • Laurie Landy
    Producer
  • Susie Rehr
    Producer
  • Jenna A. Bush
    Producer
  • Jenna A. Bush
    Writer
  • Jason Belkov
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    29 minutes 5 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 6, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jenna A. Bush

Jenna A. Bush is a documentary editor and award-winning filmmaker located in NJ. Previous credits include a multitude of shorts, a docu-series, and a feature. Her first feature MALLORY (writer/editor) was picked up by Gravitas Ventures and is currently available on a multitude of streaming platforms. She is currently working on her second feature FENCING FOR THE EDGE which is in post-production. Jenna's short films have played in a variety of festivals and have received a handful of accolades over the years, including most recently a Best Editing award for HELLO TO JULIA.

Jenna describes her editing approach as intuitive storytelling with emotional intent. She credits her neurodivergence for her ability to recognize patterns and connections in raw footage and weave them together in a way that feels effortless. Her enhanced empathy and deep understanding of psychology provides a multifaceted perspective that is evident throughout her work. Jenna's attention to detail and heightened sensitivity to rhythm informs each and every cut made in the editing room. Her experience with chronic illness has also played an immense role in heightening each of these awarenesses.

"I consider myself an inherent Translator. Being neurodivergent means I experience life in a language different from those around me. Intrinsically, in order to understand others and subsequently be understood myself, I had to become an interpreter. This ability has become my master key in understanding the experiences of others and translating them into comprehensible, relatable, and compelling stories that truly connect with audiences."

Jenna is also a writer, artist, and Taiji student. She is a member of the LGBTQIA+ and disability communities.

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Director Statement

HELLO TO JULIA was produced over a four month period, but in truth it was many years in the making. Since being introduced to Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center in 2012, I have worked closely with the nonprofit organization to create a significant collection content.

The more I experienced the incredible nature of Special Strides, the more I felt a powerful unnamable energy there. I was deeply moved by the exchanges between the therapists and parents. The spirit of the therapists, the families, and the environment of the farm itself was contagious even to an outside observer. I could feel the deep soulful healing that was taking place before my eyes, for both the children and their families. Beyond the physical support was an energetic nurturing and sense of acceptance that seemed to further propel the already heartwarming transformations. Faced with chronic health challenges and having a disability myself, I know how imperative this is for healing and also how rare it is to find. I thought if only I could capture this essence in a film, it could subsequently support the viewers’ very own healing journeys.

Making this film raised my spirits and propelled my own personal healing in ways I can hardly begin to describe. I came away with a bigger heart, an even deeper sense empathy, and greater appreciation of familial love. In pandemic times, it was a reprieve from the surrounding heaviness and a much needed restoration of hope. I hope that viewers come away with a refreshed inner smile and a renewed lightness that nourishes their hearts.