Jillian Schlesinger

Jillian Schlesinger is an independent filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. She is known for her SXSW award-winning documentary Maidentrip about Laura Dekker, the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.

Maidentrip

In 2009, Schlesinger read a New York Times article about a young Dutch woman named Laura Dekker with intentions to sail around the world alone at the age of 14. The story captured her attention and she made an effort to get in touch with Dekker, who was notably media-shy at the time. They developed a bond and a plan for the film. The two set off on the adventure of making it. Schlesinger worked on the film with a crew of mostly women and collaborated closely with her subject.^[1] She met Dekker 10 times over the course of the 17-month voyage and spent six months editing with Penelope Falk. The film debuted at SXSW Film Festival in 2013 to positive reviews and received the Visions Audience Award. The film was acquired and released by First Run Features.

References

1. Maidentrip
2. Jillian Schlesinger
3. Director Jillian Schlesinger on "Maidentrip" and Collaborating with the Subject of Her Documentary
4. Maidentrip Director Jillian Schlesinger on How She Made Her First First Film (with a Mostly Female Crew)
5. Catching Up with Jillian Schlesinger, The Director of "Maidentrip"