Ethel: Exploring an Untold Kennedy Story
This post was written by DOC NYC blogger Carrie Nelson
ETHEL director Rory Kennedy, right, at the screening of her film with DOC NYC Artistic Director Thom Powers.
Much media has been produced about Robert F. Kennedy’s professional legacies and impact. Fewer stories, however, have been told about his personal life and family members. ETHEL is distinct in its emphasis on Robert Kennedy’s wife, the woman who worked tirelessly on his political campaigns and raised their children.
Director Rory Kennedy introduced Friday’s screening and described her initial apprehension about making a film focused on her own mother. When Executive Producer Sheila Nevins approached her, asking her to helm the HBO project, Rory was reluctant to take on such a personal project. She also knew that she had to ask for her mother’s permission, a challenging task given Ethel’s private nature. Expecting her mother’s shyness to prevail, Rory was surprised when Ethel agreed to participate. When Rory asked her why she agreed, Ethel simply responded, “Because you asked me.”
Though Ethel’s hesitance to discuss certain memories – particularly her most painful ones – occasionally surfaces in her interviews, she also spoke candidly and directly about her life, with a humorous bluntness that drew laughter from the audience. Rory’s unique access to her mother provided the comfort and trust necessary to inspire Ethel’s most poignant statements. Rory’s access to the story also comes through in the visuals, as the family’s home movies are interspersed alongside archival news footage and professional photos.
In addition to her mother’s voice, Rory includes the voices of her siblings. They describe their mother as the person who raised them, as well as the person who imparted the values that they continue to hold dearly, such as the importance of social justice and serving one’s country. Such beliefs are often associated with Robert F. Kennedy, but the Kennedy children make it clear that it is their mother who is responsible for making them remember those aspects of their father’s legacy.
The unconventional nature of the Kennedy family’s life is made apparent throughout the film. Personal family stories are told against the backdrop of major national events, such as the McCarthy hearings, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War. The political was always personal in Ethel and Robert’s home, and Rory’s family members consistently connect their individual lives and experiences to the broader political landscape of the time.
Ethel screened as part of DOC NYC’s “Shortlist” category, designed to highlight 10 notable films made in 2012 that are receiving high praise and attention. Ethel’s inclusion in that category is certainly merited, and the excitement surrounding the film is sure to sustain momentum throughout the rest of the year.
Carrie Nelson is a writer and filmmaker, committed to using media to advocate for social justice. Follow her work at www.carolyn-nelson.com.
