Generations of readers have found themselves in a Judy Blume book. Her name alone launches a flood of memories for anyone who’s gripped one of her many paperbacks. For decades, Blume’s radical honesty has comforted and captivated readers – and landed her at the center of controversy for her frankness about puberty and sex.
Now the beloved American author candidly shares her own coming-of-age story. Emmy-winning filmmakers Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok trace Blume’s journey from fearful, imaginative child to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens, to banned writer who continues to fight back against censorship today. Playful and poignant animations celebrate the magic and awkwardness of being young, while intimate conversations with acclaimed authors and artists reveal Blume’s profound impact on readers. Long-standing fans share open-hearted letters they wrote to Blume over decades. With humor, sensitivity, and a healthy dose of adolescent cringe, Judy Blume Forever tells the story of the woman whose trail-blazing books changed the way millions of readers understand themselves, their sexuality, and what it means to grow up.
Director Biography
Born and raised in Canada, Davina Pardo is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker with an MA in Documentary Production from Stanford University and a BA from Amherst College. Judy Blume Forever (2023) is her debut feature.
Leah Wolchok is a San Francisco-based filmmaker who received a BA in English from Yale and an MA in Documentary Production from Stanford. She is the director of the documentaries Very Semi-Serious (2015) and Judy Blume Forever (2023).