Julie’s life choices have been dictated by her family but this all changes when she is told just moments before her own wedding that she is adopted. Confused and shocked, she runs away and follows the only clue she has to a small town on the other side of Oklahoma.
That’s where Julie meets the stoic yet secretly sweet Cass, a Native bartender who would rather be reading or fixing up an old car than in any sort of social setting. They both can feel the instant chemistry which only furthers the identity crisis Julie is having.
D
irectors Statement:
“The world of JTAW, as we have lovingly nicknamed our project, is a very detailed world that includes characters who were inspired by some of Shea’s biggest questions:
Is love at first sight a thing?
What would my world look like if I felt free of expectation?
How do I express some of my subconscious struggles with existing as a queer and Native person?
Shea originally wrote this story as a comedy pilot episode. That initial draft was her submission which led to her time as one of Sundance Institute’s 2024 Native Lab Artists in Residence.
She then brought on Frankie so that the two could collaborate on the story, with Frankie taking a majority of the on-set directing role. Our three day Oklahoma shoot was hectic and full of many beautiful filmmaking lessons that can only be taught on a small indie set. JTAW would not exist, even in this current work in progress draft, without the amazing cast and crew who worked so diligently.
‘Julie Takes a Walk’ is our attempt to bring attention not only to modern Native life but also the fact that queer folks have been and continue to exist in Small Town, U.S.A. We are confident that this sort of women-centered storytelling that showcases Native and queer characters is a new sort of cinema that we are excited to be a part of.”
Biography
Frankie Pedersen (Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation) is a director, writer, and filmmaker. Born and raised in New York City, she earned her BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University with a concentration in directing. Since 2022, she has worked as a production assistant in film and TV and is soon to be a DGA assistant director. She has worked on projects from Starz, HBO, FX, CBS, Amazon Prime, A24, and Netflix, to name a few. In her free time, she likes to play rugby, write stupid reviews on Letterboxd, and do anything that continues to further the bisexual agenda.
Shea Vassar (Cherokee Nation) is a writer and comedian currently based in Oklahoma. She graduated from film school at Hunter College and went on to pursue a Masters of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma. Shea was a 2024 Sundance Native Labs Artist in Residence while in development with a version of 'Julie Takes a Walk'. When not dreaming up ironic yet funny fictional scenarios, she is probably watching a WNBA game with her cats.