:Julie Sokolow

Julie Sokolow was raised in New Jersey. While in high school, she took philosophy courses at NYU and would often see independent films at the IFC Center and the Angelika Film Center. After graduating, she attended the University of Pittsburgh on a full scholarship where she studied film, writing, and psychology while composing music.

At 19, she released an indie music album Something About Violins through Western Vinyl that gained acclaim from Pitchfork,{{cite web|title=Something About Violins|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9697-something-about-violins/|publisher=Pitchfork}} Wire, and the Washington Post. Often drawing comparisons to Cat Power and Mirah, Sokolow has been noted for her decidedly lo-fi sound, minimalistic style, and intimate lyrics.

Sokolow became immersed in filmmaking while taking classes at Pittsburgh Filmmakers. In 2012, she created the documentary series Healthy Artists, profiling over 40 artists who are uninsured and underinsured. In 2014, Sokolow and the series were profiled by The New York Times.{{cite news|title=A Crusader on What Ails Artists|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/arts/a-crusader-on-what-ails-artists.html|work=The New York Times|date=18 February 2014 |last1=Sisario |first1=Ben }}

In 2015 her first feature film, Aspie Seeks Love, premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival and won Best Documentary. Aspie Seeks Love chronicles David V. Matthews, an offbeat writer on a quest to find love after a late-in-life Aspergers diagnosis. The film played festivals worldwide and received acclaim from Vice,{{cite web|title=Finding Love with Asperger's|date=11 March 2015 |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/finding-love-with-aspergers-183/|publisher=Vice}} Salon,{{cite web|title=Dating with Asperger's|url=http://www.salon.com/2015/03/02/dating_with_aspergers_a_new_documentary_follows_a_lonely_aspies_search_for_love/|work=Salon|date=3 March 2015 }} and Huffington Post{{cite web|title=Film Documentary, 'Aspie Seeks Love' documents Twenty Years of Searching for True Love|date=18 February 2015 |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jo-worgan-/aspie-seeks-love_b_6692592.html|publisher=Huffington Post}} who likened the film to Crumb and American Movie.

Sokolow's second documentary feature Woman on Fire premiered at DOC NYC{{cite web|title=Burning Down Barriers: The inspirational story of New York City's first openly transgender firefighter|date=16 November 2016 |url=http://www.docnyc.net/featured/burning-down-barriers/|publisher=DOC NYC}} in 2016. Woman on Fire follows Brooke Guinan, the first openly transgender firefighter in NY and a third-generation firefighter. The film has been described as a heartwarming and moving portrait by sources such as IndieWire{{cite web|title=DOC NYC 2016: 13 Movies We Can't Wait to See at the Festival|date=9 November 2016 |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2016/11/doc-nyc-2016-most-anticipated-cameraperson-13th-oj-made-in-america-1201743690/|publisher=IndieWire}} and the Village Voice.{{cite web|title=Must-See Films From DOC NYC's 111-Movie Survey of a Planet Gone Mad|date=8 November 2016 |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/must-see-films-from-doc-nyc-s-111-movie-survey-of-a-planet-gone-mad-9318063|publisher=Village Voice}} The film aired on Starz in November 2017.{{cite web|title=STARZ ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW FALL DOCUMENTARY MONDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE|url=https://mediaroom.starz.com/news/starz-announces-launch-of-new-fall-documentary-monday-night-schedule|publisher=Starz}}

In 2019 her third documentary feature, Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story, premiered at the Heartland International Film Festival and won Best Premiere Documentary.{{cite web|title=The Heartland International Film Festival|url=https://www.cineaste.com/winter2019/heartland-international-film-festival-2019|publisher=Cineaste}} The film profiles writer and activist Mark Baumer, who walked over 100 days barefoot to protest climate change. Barefoot received acclaim from The Playlist{{cite web|title=Filmmaker Julie Sokolow On Climate Change & Documentaries|date=26 January 2020 |url=https://theplaylist.net/filmmaker-julie-sokolow-20200126/|publisher=The Playlist}} and The Hollywood Reporter{{cite web|title='Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story': Film Review|date=6 March 2020 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/barefoot-mark-baumer-story-1282527|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter}} who called the film “an affectionate and inspiring portrait”.

Sokolow often contributes personal essays to Salon,{{cite web|title=My grandma, torn between Trump and Bernie, has something to tell us|url=http://www.salon.com/2016/11/13/my-grandma-torn-between-trump-and-bernie-has-something-to-tell-us/|work=Salon|date=13 November 2016 }} Huffington Post,{{cite web|title=The Dark Side of Black Friday|date=16 November 2014 |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-sokolow/the-dark-side-of-black-fr_b_6163884.html|publisher=Huffington Post}} and HTMLGIANT.{{cite web|title=Fear, Loathing, and Comics|url=http://htmlgiant.com/film/fear-loathing-and-comics/|work=HTMLGIANT}} Sokolow's writing and filmmaking blend the personal and political. Her cinematic documentaries are often noted for their intimate, character-driven quality{{cite web|title=In the Frame: Julie Sokolow Sees the Future|date=15 February 2017 |url=http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/March-2017/In-the-Frame-Julie-Sokolow-Sees-the-Future/|publisher=Pittsburgh Magazine}} as well as their humor.{{cite web|title=Interview: Julie Sokolow|date=28 June 2016 |url=http://theglassblock.com/2016/06/28/interview-julie-sokolow/|publisher=The Glassblock}}

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Category:People from Holmdel Township, New Jersey

Category:Living people

Category:University of Pittsburgh alumni

Category:American documentary film directors

Category:American women singer-songwriters

Category:1987 births

Category:Film directors from New Jersey

Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters

Category:Western Vinyl artists