Meet Brandywine, alumnus of the documentary Patrice: The Movie on Hulu

A Brandywine High School graduate is now making an award-winning difference on the small screen.

Emily Spivack, a Wilmington native and Brandywine High School graduate, is one of the lead producers of the documentary “Patrice: The Movie,” which premiered at film festivals earlier this month and is now streaming on Hulu.

“Patrice: The Movie” is a heartwarming romantic comedy documentary about Patrice Jetter and her long-time partner Garry – two people with disabilities who long to live together and get married, but know that doing so could jeopardize their needs about it Additionally, neither Patrice nor Garry may have more than $2,000 in their bank account at any time.

The documentary’s debut was so well received that it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Camden (Maine) International Film Festival and even prompted the Social Security Administration to issue a statement in support of changing the current disability pension program.

Before venturing into the documentary film industry, Spivack was the author of a New York Times bestseller and co-creator of the Netflix series Worn Stories, but her roots remain in The First State.

We spoke with Spivack about her upbringing in Delaware, how Patrice: The Movie came to be, her infamous outfit choice at her graduation from Brandywine High School and more.

Where did you start?

I grew up in Wilmington and attended Brandywine High School, studied art semiotics at Brown University, and then moved to New York.

From 2007 to 2012 I did a project called “Sentimental Value” where I collected stories I found on eBay where people were selling clothes and they talked about why they got rid of the clothes.

I started asking other people about their own stories. I realized that clothing could be a very democratic entry point because we all wear clothing. The only thing that separates our bodies from the experiences we have in the world is the clothes we wear.

How did “Patrice: The Movie” come about?

In 2014, I wrote “Worn Stories,” about clothing stories, which became a New York Times bestseller, and then the TV show came out on Netflix in 2021. One of the stories on the TV show was about a woman called “Worn Stories.” Patrice Jetter. I just fell in love with her… She’s just amazing.

Ted [Passon, director of “Patrice: The Movie”] had known her for 20 years and we wanted to do something with Patrice because her story had so much to offer and we knew she was incredibly comfortable in front of the camera.

At first I just wanted to follow her because her life is so full and she does so much. But it evolved, and what it really became is a documentary/romance comedy about the next phase of marriage equality, namely people with disabilities.

How did your upbringing in Delaware influence your career?

Growing up in Delaware and Wilmington, it wasn’t a big city, I didn’t have everything at my fingertips in the same way. I had to be creative with it. You had to figure out how you wanted to express yourself, and the way I felt most comfortable doing that was through the clothes I wore.

I gave the farewell speech in Brandywine. They said everyone has to wear white shoes at graduation. What I found were these white knee high vintage patent leather go-go boots. I wore this to finish.

I always went to Booth’s Corner, the local farmers market. There used to be a nurse uniform store at Independence Mall that I browsed around. I really had to look!

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How did your interest in clothing influence the film?

I think the clothes [in “Patrice: The Movie”] really shows the kind of independent spirit [Jetter] and the way she expresses her creativity as an artist in every aspect of her being.

It’s in the drawings she makes, the clothes she wears, and the public access television show she creates. I really admire what she does because she enjoys having fun with her clothes. She doesn’t take it too seriously and she clearly enjoys putting on these clothes.

What do you hope people take away from the film?

I hope people learn something from this. I want them to fall in love with Patrice and Garry as much as I do, but I also want them to ask themselves, “How is this possible?”

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How is it possible that in 2024 two people who love each other and want to live together cannot?

People who are not disabled simply don’t know about it. I think this is a first step in letting people know about this.

Molly McVety covers community and environmental issues around Delaware. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety.

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