Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (2024)

A graduate of Brandywine High School is now making an award-winning difference on the small screen.

Emily Spivack, a Wilmington native and graduate of Brandywine High School, is one of the main producers of the documentary "Patrice: The Movie,'' which debuted in film festivals earlier this month, and is now streaming on Hulu.

"Patrice: The Movie'' is a heartwarming documentary mixed with a rom-com that follows Patrice Jetter and her long-time partner Garry – two people with disabilities who long to live together and get married, but know doing so may risk their needed government benefits. On top of that, per federal law, neither Patrice nor Garry can have more than $2,000 in their bank account at any time.

Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (1)

The documentary’s debut was so well received that it secured the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Camden (Maine) International Film Festival, and even prompted the Social Security Administration to release a statement in support of changing the current disability benefit program.

Prior to venturing into the documentary space, Spivack was a New York Times Bestselling author and co-creator of a Netflix series, Worn Stories, but her roots remain in The First State.

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We spoke to Spivack about her Delaware upbringing, how "Patrice: The Movie'' came to be, her infamous outfit choice at her Brandywine High School graduation and more.

Where did you get your start?

Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (2)

I grew up in Wilmington and went to Brandywine High School, studied art semiotics at Brown University and then moved to New York.

I did a project from 2007 to 2012 called "Sentimental Value,'' where I collected stories I found on eBay where people were selling clothing, and they talked about why they were getting rid of the clothing.

I started asking other people about their own stories. I realized that clothing could be a very democratic access point, because we all wear clothing. The only thing that separates our bodies from the experiences we have in the world are the clothes we wear.

How did 'Patrice: The Movie' come about?

In 2014 I wrote "Worn Stories,'' about the clothing-related stories, which became a New York Times Bestseller, and then the TV show came out in 2021 on Netflix. One of the stories in the TV show was from a woman named Patrice Jetter. I just fell in love with her … She’s just incredible.

Ted [Passon, director of "Patrice: The Movie''] had known her for 20 years, and we wanted to do something with Patrice, because there’s so much to her story, and we knew she was incredibly comfortable in front of the camera.

It started as wanting to just follow her around, because her life is so full and she does so much. But it evolved, and what it really became is a documentary / rom-com about the next phase of marriage equality, which is disabled individuals.

Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (3)

How did your Delaware upbringing influence your career?

Growing up in Delaware and Wilmington, it wasn’t a huge city, I didn’t have everything at my fingertips in the same way. I had to be creative about it. You had to figure out how you wanted to express yourself, and the way I felt most comfortable doing that was through the clothing I was wearing.

At Brandywine, I gave the valedictory address. They said everybody has to wear white shoes to graduation. What I found were these white, knee-high, vintage, patent leather go-go boots. That’s what I wore to graduation.

I would go to Booth’s Corner, the farmer’s market there, there used to be a nurse uniform shop in Independence Mall that I would poke around in. I had to really look!

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How did your interest in clothing translate to the film?

Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (4)

I think the clothing [in "Patrice: The Movie''] really shows you the kind of independent spirit [Jetter] has, and the way that she expresses her creativity as an artist, and in every aspect of her being.

It's in the drawings that she makes, the clothing that she wears and the public access TV show she created. I really admire what she does, because she enjoys the process of having fun with her clothing. She's not taking it too seriously and she's clearly enjoying herself when she's putting these clothes on.

What do you hope people take away from the film?

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I hope that people come away from it learning something. I want them to fall in love with Patrice and Garry in the same way I have, but I also want them to be like, how is this possible?

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How is it possible that in 2024 two people who love each other and want to live together, can’t?

People who aren’t disabled, they just don’t know about this. I think this is a first step to letting people know.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her atmmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter@mollymcvety.

Producer of award-winning documentary talks clothes, Delaware & disability rights (2024)
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