Podcast Summary: All Of It — Director Kelly Reichardt on Her 30 Year Career Film Retrospective
Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Kelly Reichardt (Director, Screenwriter, Editor)
Date: May 9, 2024

Overview

In this episode, Kusha Navadar interviews critically-acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, whose 30-year career is being honored by a full retrospective at NYC’s Metrograph theater ("American Landscapes: The Cinema of Kelly Reichardt"). The conversation covers Reichardt’s beginnings as a filmmaker, the importance of community and collaboration in her process, her unique vision as chronicler of ordinary American life, her long-term partnership with Michelle Williams, and reflections on being a woman in the film industry. The discussion balances Reichardt’s modest humor with thoughtful insights into her creative process and personal journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Origins as a Filmmaker (03:08–06:23)

• Miami Roots & Early Curiosity

  • Grew up in Miami, described as a "cultural void as far as art went" (03:15).
  • First creative tools: A Pentax K1000 camera and a Super 8; started taking night classes at Mass Art, mainly to access equipment and make films with friends.
  • Filmed local indie rock bands to take a more active role creatively, noting male-dominated band scenes (04:04).

• A Career or a Calling?

  • Never had a definitive "I made it" moment; securing a teaching job at Bard College after "Old Joy" allowed her to continue making personal films without commercial pressure (05:03).
  • Approach: Each film feels precarious, never guaranteed another ("Every film feels like the last film") (05:57).

  "I don't know what making it is exactly... But every film feels like the last film and you feel lucky you're getting to make it and you have no idea if you'll, you have no idea if you'll get to make another one." — Kelly Reichardt (05:03)

Process, Community, and Sustained Inspiration (06:23–08:54)

• Finds motivation less in "strength" and more in continual engagement: structured thinking, conversations about art, and friendship-based creative partnerships (particularly with Jonathan Raymond).

• Emphasizes filmmaking as a collaborative endeavor, comprised of "intense one-on-ones" with writers, designers, cinematographers, and others.

  "Filmmaking is not something I think you kind of can conquer. There's just so much to figure out all the time new with each project." — Kelly Reichardt (08:03)

Reflections on Early Work and Lessons Learned (09:26–11:44)

• "River of Grass" Retrospective
  • Avoids re-watching her own films: "I'm not gonna watch them, but I'm really happy that they're gonna play. I mean, I just can't bear it." (10:25)
• Lessons from First Feature
  • Warns against "making a film on your credit cards" (11:44).
  • Learned important, tough lessons about misogyny in the industry as a young female filmmaker; realized the need for deeper technical knowledge to clearly articulate her vision.
  • Values the enduring friendships and creative partnerships forged, e.g., music with friends from Yo La Tengo.

The Move to the Pacific Northwest (14:11–16:19)

• Moved from Miami to Portland, attracted by the drastically different landscape and the opportunity to forge new creative territory.
• Collaborations with Todd Haynes and Jonathan Raymond deepened her ties to the region ("I became a regional filmmaker for a place I didn't live") (16:10).

Gender, Industry Change, & Representation (17:08–21:09)

• Candid on misogyny in filmmaking—never felt part of "Hollywood" but worked "around a system" indifferent to her work.

• Notes a "change" in the gender balance of her film students—now more women than men in classes—a shift from her early teaching days when female students were rare.

• Skeptical of industry progress until women directors are seen as unremarkable: "When people quit saying, like, you know, we're gonna have a women's film festival... you'll understand that women have entered the flow of things." (19:10)

  "One of the hardest relationships can be within the crew and women... finding the people they can work with that will support them." — Kelly Reichardt (20:24)

On Collaboration with Michelle Williams (21:09–24:13)

• Initial connection through mutual friend Todd Haynes; Williams reached out wanting "a part like the Will Oldham part in Old Joy."

• Williams’ trust and willingness to dive into low-budget projects endeared her to Reichardt, cementing a long creative partnership.

  "She's forever growing and I have fun watching her and seeing what she's doing. ... You know, I don't know how I got so fortunate to just work with someone who is so trusting from the get go, but that's—you know, really what you want when you're directing a film is someone to trust you. And I trust her." — Kelly Reichardt (23:14)

Exploring "Ordinary Grit" (24:13–25:18)

• Reichardt reflects positively on being dubbed "America's finest observer of ordinary grit" (Doreen St. Felix, The New Yorker), linking her work to the focused depiction of "minutia of life and more day to day struggles than big moments".
• Her films often prioritize subtle, daily moments over dramatic events.

Music, Animals, & Friends: The Hallmarks of Reichardt’s Films (25:31–26:32)

• Highlights meaningful collaborations with musicians (Yo La Tengo, Smokey Hormel, André Benjamin’s flute).
• A sense of gratitude pervades—both for the creative process and the relationships and adventures each film has allowed.

Looking Ahead: The Next Creative Adventure (26:32–28:02)

• Looks forward to continuing to make films—jokes about hoping to shoot in seasons besides winter.

• The process remains unpredictable and collaborative: finding a project, the funding, and working with long-time producers to "figure out the big issues and the small ones."

• Making films is the "adventure" in her otherwise "unadventurous" life.

  "When you make a film, you're definitely on an adventure." — Kelly Reichardt (27:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On career perseverance:
  "Every film feels like the last film and you feel lucky you're getting to make it and you have no idea if you'll, you have no idea if you'll get to make another one." – Kelly Reichardt (05:03)

• On learning the ropes as a young female director:
  "I learned a lot about misogyny on that film. ... I learned everything I didn't know, basically, and what I needed to know in order to articulate exactly what I wanted to do." – Kelly Reichardt (11:44)

• On why the Pacific Northwest:
  "It was as far away as Miami as I could get." – Kelly Reichardt (14:24)

• On gender in the industry:
  "You will know when people quit saying, 'like, you know, we're gonna have a women's film festival... you'll understand that women have entered the flow of things, you know." – Kelly Reichardt (19:10)

• On Michelle Williams’ talent:
  "She's forever growing and I have fun watching her and seeing what she's doing... You know, I don't know how I got so fortunate." – Kelly Reichardt (23:14)

• On process and adventure:
  "When you make a film, you're definitely on an adventure." – Kelly Reichardt (27:46)

Important Timestamps

• 03:08: Kelly Reichardt on her background and first steps as a filmmaker.
• 05:03: Discussion of career sustainability and lack of "arrival."
• 11:44: Lessons learned from "River of Grass," including challenges as a woman director.
• 14:24: Migration to Pacific Northwest—reasons and creative inspiration.
• 17:32: Reflections on misogyny, teaching, and industry change.
• 21:19: The roots of her collaboration with Michelle Williams.
• 24:13: Reaction to being called "finest observer of ordinary grit."
• 25:31: Reflections on the music, locations, and animal collaborators across her films.
• 26:46: Thoughts on the future and the unpredictability of filmmaking.

Tone & Style

Kelly Reichardt is wry, practical, and quietly passionate—eschewing grandiosity for humility. The episode carries a thoughtful, conversational tone, brimming with lived experience, dry humor, and creative insight.

For fans of film, independent cinema, or anyone interested in a creative life outside the mainstream, this episode is a compelling listen and a fitting tribute to Reichardt’s singular career.