LADY BIRD'S STORY

The best thing about being a high school student in New York City is that you are never far away from a film festival. Last month, during the DOC NYC festival (the largest documentary festival in the country), I had the chance to screen The Ladybird Diaries, directed by Dawn Porter. The film’s promotional materials featured a striking image of Lady Bird Johnson wearing green-rimmed glasses and a slightly lopsided smile holding an old recorder on a velvet blue sofa with dated Manila Envelopes stacked nearby. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into; all I had taken away from the synopsis was the fact it was about a first lady—one who had barely ever been mentioned in my history classes.

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The film begins with archival footage of the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the soothing voice, subtly distorted from the poor quality of the recorder, of Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson. The recorder was a gift to Lady Bird from journalist Liz Carpenter and had previously belonged to Liz’s son. Over clips taken on the day of Kennedy’s assassination as well as a compilation of other shots, Lady Bird recounts events from her perspective setting the scene for the next 100 minutes—her experience as first lady under unusual circumstances from the abrupt beginning of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, until the end. 

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As someone who typically finds documentaries tedious, The Ladybird Diaries was a delightful surprise. The film used a diverse range of content from footage of Lady Bird and President Johnson, incorporating photographs, newspaper headlines, and even charming illustrations, ranging from sketches to watercolors. The unconventional framing, adapting and changing based on the kind of footage being used, created an intimacy between the audience and the film. The film kept me captivated through the use of not only Lady Bird’s narration but also the complementary on-screen text and background music. 

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Watching The Ladybird Diaries was also a very insightful experience, that provided me with a piece of history I would have never encountered otherwise. Offering Lady Bird's perspective as the First Lady during a crucial period in history brought to light on the challenges, responsibilities, and contributions of women during a pivotal time, a unique and often overlooked angle. In my day-to-day life in history class or in passing, I would have never learned much about President Johnson, let alone Lady Bird. For a brief 100 minutes, I was also able to see the world from a different perspective; delving into life as first lady, the president’s most trusted advisor, an advocate for environmental improvement and beautification.