Directing

Julie Wyman

Julie Forrest Wyman’s films engage embodiment, body image, and media spectatorship—informed by living with hypochondroplasia dwarfism. Her 2012 Strong! aired on Independent Lens. Her work is supported by Sundance, Sandbox, IDA, SF Film Society, Points North, Creative Capital, Princess Grace, Logan Nonfiction, CalHumanities, and NEH.

Known For

The Tallest DwarfThe Tallest Dwarf · 2025
The Tallest Dwarf
1.02025
MovieDocumentary
Julie Wyman’s quest to find her place within the little people (LP) community at a moment when dwarf identity is poised to radically change. As Julie unpacks the rumors of “partial dwarfism” in her family she finds that hers is the last of a body type she has inherited. She joins forces with a group of dwarf artists to confront the legacy of being tokenized and put on display.
A Boy Named SueA Boy Named Sue · 2000
A Boy Named Sue
3.82000
MovieDocumentary
A Boy Named Sue chronicles the transformation of a transsexual named Theo from a woman to a man over the course of six years. Following Theo's physiological and psychological changes during the process, as well as their effects on his lesbian lover and community of close friends, A Boy Named Sue tells a story about gender identity, relationships, and how even things that seem permanent can change.
Strong!Strong! · 2012
Strong!
2012
MovieDocumentary
By 15 she was an American national champion. By 17 she was competing in the Olympics. A formidable figure at five feet, eight inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds, Cheryl Haworth made history in Sydney, Australia in 2000 when she became the youngest athlete to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. Strong!, directed by Julie Wyman, follows Haworth as she struggles to defend her champion status even as her career inches toward its inevitable end. From the highs of her spectacular rise to the lows of battling injuries, Strong! explores the challenges this unusual elite athlete faces: coming to terms with a body that is celebrated within her sport but shunned by mainstream culture. In presenting Haworth’s story, Strong! follows the path of a gender pioneer in an unconventional sport, and makes us question stereotypical notions of health, size, and fitness.

Filmography

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Strong!Strong! · 2012
Strong!
2012
MovieDocumentary
By 15 she was an American national champion. By 17 she was competing in the Olympics. A formidable figure at five feet, eight inches tall and weighing over 300 pounds, Cheryl Haworth made history in Sydney, Australia in 2000 when she became the youngest athlete to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. Strong!, directed by Julie Wyman, follows Haworth as she struggles to defend her champion status even as her career inches toward its inevitable end. From the highs of her spectacular rise to the lows of battling injuries, Strong! explores the challenges this unusual elite athlete faces: coming to terms with a body that is celebrated within her sport but shunned by mainstream culture. In presenting Haworth’s story, Strong! follows the path of a gender pioneer in an unconventional sport, and makes us question stereotypical notions of health, size, and fitness.

Director