In the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death — and ahead of the fight to fill her seat and the upcoming presidential election — we all could really use some good news at the moment. Well, a team of female filmmakers has delivered. Per The Hollywood Reporter, a new Ginsburg doc, “Ruth,” is now virtually screening for potential buyers, with the goal of receiving a release date prior to Election Day. The recently completed film hails from director Freida Lee Mock and exec producers Regina K. Scully, Barbara Dobkin, Geralyn Dreyfous, Sandra Lee, Cara Kennedy Cuomo, and Danielle Summer Mark.
“Ruth” is described as a multi-faceted account of “the woman who became a trailblazing litigator for the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project; a professor; an appellate judge; and only the second woman ever to serve as a justice on America’s highest court.” According to the source, “it blends archival footage, evocative animation, and illustrations against the backdrop of an original score by Grammy-winning composer Lili Haydn of the band Opium Moon.”
“Ruth” screened as a work-in-progress at AFI DOCS last year.
“I especially hope that the younger generation, through the film, will understand how much the U.S. Supreme Court, through its legal rulings, can affect their intimate daily lives and will appreciate the importance of being attentive to legal issues as citizens and voters,” Mock said of “Ruth.”
Lee added, “Justice Ginsburg forged a path for all women and will always be the gold standard we must strive to emulate.”
A five-time Oscar nominee, Mock took home the Best Documentary Feature award in 1995 for “Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision,” a portrait of the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. She also received nods for “Sing!”, “Never Give Up: The 20th Century Odyssey of Herbert Zipper,” “Rose Kennedy: A Life to Remember,” and “To Live or Let Die.” She scored an Emmy for exec producing “Lillian Gish: The Actor’s Life for Me.” The International Documentary Association presented her with its Career Achievement Award last year.
In other Ginsburg-related news, Focus Features and Magnolia Pictures jointly announced the theatrical rereleases of “On the Basis of Sex” and “RBG.” The former, directed by Mimi Leder, is a biopic focusing on Ginsburg as a young lawyer, and her role in a landmark sex discrimination case. “RBG,” helmed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, is a doc chronicling Ginsburg’s professional and cultural legacy. Both films are headed back to theaters this Friday, September 25, with net proceeds going to the Women’s Rights Project, which Ginsburg co-founded in 1972.
“On the Basis of Sex” and “RBG” were both originally released in 2018.
