West Hollywood feels less like a film set and more like a lived-in conversation when you meet Clara and Julia Kuperberg. The sisters, co-founders of Wichita Films, are settled on a sofa in Julia’s apartment, a scene overseen by Isis, their remarkably serious-faced dog – named, they explain, for the Egyptian goddess. “Wait, how are you going to say that?” Clara interjects, mid-sentence. “Let me finish!” Julia retorts, a playful edge to her voice. The simple back-and-forth is a hallmark of their dynamic, a familial debate that fuels their work. For over two decades, this duo has been quietly reshaping documentary filmmaking, producing sixty films that tackle complex subjects with a distinctly human lens.
Wichita Films, named after the infamous lawless town of the Old West, was born from a shared history with their father, a Western enthusiast. “We all figured we’d kill each other,” Julia jokes, referencing the town’s reputation for gunfights. “And we pretty much did,” Clara adds with a laugh. The name, they say, proved prophetic. But the “shootouts” within Wichita Films have yielded a remarkable body of work, consistently challenging conventional narratives and sparking crucial conversations. Their focus isn’t on spectacle, but on rigorous investigation and nuanced storytelling. The company’s success is built on a simple premise: documentaries are, at their core, investigations.
Clara’s path began at the Centre National de la Documentation Pédagogique, creating “literary documentaries,” before her father brought her into the world of films about the mafia. Julia, meanwhile, came from ARTE, a Franco-German public service broadcaster, with a background in music programming. It quickly became clear that scripted fiction wasn’t for them. “We’re too grounded in facts,” Julia explains. “We just can’t fictionalize.” They thrive on the unexpected turns a documentary can take, embracing the detours and allowing the story to unfold organically. This approach has become their signature, a willingness to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Unearthing Hidden Histories: From Hollywood’s Women to Nazi Ties
Since 2005, the Kuperberg sisters have maintained a relentless pace, averaging three films a year. “Sometimes I think we’re crazy,” Julia admits, acknowledging the sheer volume of work. The division of labor is efficient: Clara meticulously researches archives – “hyper fastidious, but I love to search, search, search” – laying the groundwork for each project. Julia focuses on editing, bringing a “very factual, very montage-driven” approach to shaping the narrative. They conduct interviews together, carefully selecting experts “from books,” and maintain a schedule that allows for only a week of vacation annually.
Wichita Films gained significant recognition with “Et la femme créa Hollywood” (And Woman Created Hollywood), released in 2015. The film, a deliberate nod to Roger Vadim’s “And God Created Woman” starring Brigitte Bardot, explored the often-overlooked contributions of women in the early days of Hollywood. The film caught the attention of Thierry Frémaux, the delegate general of the Cannes Film Festival, at a time when addressing gender inequality in the industry wasn’t mainstream. “People thought we were making things up,” Clara recalls. Their foresight proved remarkably prescient. Just two years later, in October 2017, the #MeToo movement went viral, validating their initial insights and sparking a global conversation about power dynamics in Hollywood. “Et la femme créa Hollywood” remains a pivotal work in the ongoing dialogue about representation and equality.
The exploration of women’s roles in Hollywood continues with the “Women Who Run Hollywood” collection. Their latest installment, “Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood,” sheds light on the portrayal of Latino communities on screen. The film will be screened on April 13th at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, held from April 12th to 19th at the Chinese Theater (tickets available here). “It changes with every decade, with every president,” Julia observes, highlighting the ever-evolving landscape of American identity. Their consistent approach is to examine America through the lens of Hollywood, which they describe as “the most effective propaganda cinema.”
Their next project, tentatively titled “Hollywood & Hitler” ( “Hollywood sous la croix gammée” for the French market), promises to be their most challenging yet. The film stems from a startling archival discovery: footage of a 1939 Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The sisters are meticulously detailing Hollywood’s complex negotiations with Nazi Germany, including Warner Bros.’ early decision to sever ties and the fact that the German market once accounted for nearly 30% of some studios’ revenue. “It’s too easy to judge in hindsight,” Clara emphasizes. Their aim is to understand the gray areas of power and the difficult choices made during a dark chapter in history.
Alongside this, they are developing a documentary about Marilyn Monroe, timed to coincide with the centennial of her birth on June 1st, 2026. “There are 600 documentaries about her, and they’re all depressing,” Julia says. Their ambition is to present a different perspective, portraying Monroe as “a brilliant, intelligent woman.” “If she’s up there, she’ll love it!” Julia adds with a knowing smile.
A Franco-American Perspective, Funded by French Vision
The Kuperberg sisters’ dual Franco-American heritage is central to their work. “Our intellect was nurtured by France, our appetite by America,” Clara explains. A significant portion of their funding comes from French sources – the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) and French television channels – a fact they playfully remind their American counterparts of. “It’s French money that finances American history,” Julia quips. In an era of increasing concern about artificial intelligence and deepfakes, Clara is adamant about the importance of documentary filmmaking. “Now more than ever, we need documentaries, with real historians.”
Their guiding principle is to foster thoughtful analysis, taking an hour to develop an idea rather than ten seconds on TikTok. “We’re not going to put aliens in the middle of Hitler!” they declare. Isis, meanwhile, remains a silent observer, her nose twitching. The sisters continue to debate, argue, edit, and research. At Wichita Films, the intellectual sparring is constant, but it consistently yields films that resonate and provoke thought. Their next confirmed checkpoint is the completion of initial research for “Hollywood & Hitler” by the end of the summer, with a planned release in late 2025.
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