TWE 244: Directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen On Their Groundbreaking Movie "RBG"

Betsy West and Julie Cohen, Directors of RBG/Photo: Myles Pettengill, Courtesy Magnolia Pictures — Filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen/Photo: Myles Pettengill, Courtesy Magnolia Pictures

UPDATE 1/22/19: RBG Reacts to Oscar Nomination for ‘RBG’

By Stacey Gualandi/May 10, 2018

Don’t miss A BRAND NEW interview on The Women’s Eye Radio with Betsy West and Julie Cohen, the award-winning documentary filmmakers behind the Sundance Film Festival favorite “RBG.”

“RBG” stars U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the 85-year-old warrior of women’s rights, feminist icon and pop culture phenomenon now known affectionately as the “Notorious RBG.”

Three years ago, West and Cohen decided to join forces – along with a talented team of creative females – to bring Justice Ginsburg to the big screen.

Having each interviewed Justice Ginsburg for separate projects years ago, they believed that RBG was having her moment in 2015 and wanted to capture her rising popularity, especially with millennials.

Little did they know that while filming, this diminutive Bronx-born, opera-loving jurist with the big dissents, would become a symbol of gender equality rights.

“RBG” Trailer/Courtesy Magnolia Pictures

West and Cohen are successful journalists, network news producers and documentary filmmakers in their own right. And as a news junkie myself, I was already a big fan of their work at ABC, CBS and NBC, and documentaries like Makers and The Sturgeon Queens, so I was thrilled to talk with them for the first time.

Betsy West

Julie Cohen

Stacey Gualandi

Both women share their journey documenting Justice Ginsburg’s groundbreaking legal rulings; her 56-year marriage; her dream of nine female Supreme Court justices (“Justice Ginsburg is highly optimistic…”); and her first reaction to Kate McKinnon’s Saturday Night Live RBG impersonation. Her exercise routine is remarkable, some 20 push-ups at a time and that’s just for openers.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg exercising from RBG the movie/Photo: Courtesy Magnolia Pictures — Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s workout routine from “RBG”/Courtesy Magnolia Pictures

“RBG” is a love story, a her-story lesson, and, after seeing it three times, I believe it’s the only superhero movie that really matters at the summer box-office. Oh, and P.S., I predict one man will get involved with this film. His name is Oscar.

“RBG” is in theaters across the country now. To find out where, go to www.rbgmovie.com.