It's Dorothy!

What does Dorothy Gale, one of the most iconic characters in American culture, represent in the popular imagination? It's Dorothy! traces Dorothy's epic journey from the pages of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz— published over 125 years ago— to her reinvention and evolution across generations. As new star performers have brought Dorothy's timeless adventures to life through their own experiences, the character continues to resonate.

With a magical remix of archival material, the film features original interviews with Oz experts, a chorus of cultural icons, and several beloved actresses who've embodied the role on stage, screen, and television. Each one of them lays out the ways in which they saw themselves in this iconic Kansas girl, and how the role invariably transformed their lives. In Dorothy and her friends (as well as enemies), perceived outsiders and social outcasts found an aspirational figure who would become a focal point for community building. The film also weaves in biographical details on the life, career, and allyship of actress Judy Garland, who – while far from the first to play Dorothy – was largely defined by the role and continues to be considered the actress against whom all others are measured.

Centering the perspectives of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ voices, the film contextualizes Dorothy as an enduring symbol of hope and a touchstone in our universal quest to fly over the rainbow and find home again. It's Dorothy! is a celebration of the shared narratives that have the power to unite across demographics, and asks viewers to consider "what does Dorothy mean to you?"

FEATURING:

Ashanti, singer/actress, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)
Nichelle Lewis, actress, The Wiz (2024)
Shanice Shantay, actress, The Wiz Live! (2015)
Fairuza Balk, actress, Return to Oz (1985)
Danielle Hope, singer/actress, Over the Rainbow (2010) / The Wizard of Oz (2011)
Margaret Cho, comedian
Roxane Gay, writer/social commentator
Gregory Maguire, author, Wicked
Amber Ruffin, comedian/writer, The Wiz (2024)
Rufus Wainwright, singer/songwriter/composer
Lena Waithe, actress/screenwriter
John Waters, filmmaker

FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "I had always viewed Dorothy as that of the outsider, the people who don't fit in, or people who have felt that they might not have support or community or figured themselves out quite yet. And so I hope that this film really reminds us that we are all connected. If somebody doesn't see themselves up on a screen, I hope they can see someone in their life up on screen. Whether we've seen the movie when we were a child or we have carried her close to our hearts into our adulthood, I think there's no better character to connect us all.

There are unprecedented challenges in the world today. What we learn from Dorothy is that the first step to defeating those who seek to take our silver (or ruby) slippers from us, is to stand proudly in our truth."

— Jeffrey McHale

Preview link available upon request. Contact support@videoproject for more information

A Film by Jeffrey McHale

97 minutes

Scene Selection • Closed Captioned

Grade 7 - Adult

Item #: ITD-2092

Traces the journey, reinvention, and evoloution of fictional character Dorothy Gale from L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz

Starting at $99

Licensing Options

K-12 Classroom, Public Libraries: DVD - $99 K-12 Classroom, Public Libraries DVD + Digital File - $149 Colleges, Businesses, and Institutions: DVD - $395 Colleges, Businesses, and Institutions: DVD with Digital Site License - $495 K-12 School District pricing available. Please inquire at [email protected] Community Screenings: Please Complete 'Host a Screening' Form found on top menu bar

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Reviews and Festivals

"Energetic, engrossing, and often quite loving... It's Dorothy! succeeds mightily."

— Indiewire

"A vibrant celebration of identity and cultural legacy"

— Broadway World

"A fascinating cultural deep-dive and a feel-good movie that is deeply moving and a lot of light-hearted fun. And the almost-stream-of-consciousness organization of the documentary worked for its fascinating narrative."

— Out Front Magazine

"It's the emotional transparency of the women personally touched by the character at formative times in their lives that gives the doc its big-hearted infectiousness... Smart, analytical and stacked with magical visuals."

— The Hollywood Reporter

"When the documentary becomes truly electrified is in its choice of who gets to speak. McHale hands the mic to the communities who actually found themselves in Dorothy. Women finding agency in her defiance. People of color reinterpreting her journey through their own histories. LGBTQ+ voices who inherited Dorothy as a symbol of survival, chosen family, and camp transcendence. Each voice refracts Dorothy differently, creating a kaleidoscope of identity, history, and rebellion."

— Latino Review Media

"Inspiring pop culture icon docu with mature themes"

— Common Sense Media

"This doc is everything you ever wanted to know about Dorothy... Oz fanatics will feel as if they've died and gone to their version of heaven."

— Bay Area Reporter

"Thoughtful and scholarly while also delivering a celebratory tribute to the character, It's Dorothy! provides a well-rounded examination of Baum's iconic character and of her impact on the American popular imagination. It's an entertaining journey through cultural history, connecting the dots to give us insight on why Dorothy and her adventures continue to speak to us with such profound resonance."

— Washington Blade

"Entertaining and informative... McHale essentially constructs It's Dorothy! like an exhaustively thorough research paper... STREAM IT."

— Decider

"An expertly researched, wholly passionate documentary that takes Dorothy out of Oz and into our world."

— Beyond the Cinerama Dome

"It's Dorothy! is a reminder of how the films we love become a part of us and how each generation has the opportunity to make their mark on the material that they love... This is a film about how characters stay with us, become part of us, and, most importantly, defy expectations and history."

— The Contending

"A documentary about joy... McHale never loses that verve and joy; it's ever-present in It's Dorothy!"

— The Film Stage

"It's Dorothy! is a glorious celebration of The Wizard of Oz. This film gloriously lays out why the story, in all its forms, means something... This film is magnificent. Highly Recommended."

— Unseen Films

"A joyous, kaleidoscopic journey to Oz and back alongside its legendary heroine... Gorgeously made, heartfelt, and long overdue, It's Dorothy! is the ultimate documentary on all things Oz."

— Josh at the Movies

WINNER

Micheaux Film Festival, Jury Award, Outstanding Documentary Feature

Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature

Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, Audience Award, Favorite Feature Length Film

Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival, Madelyn's Choice Award

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Tribeca

Frameline

CinemaQ

Dialogues Documentary Festival

Out on Film: Atlanta LGBTQ Film Festival

Santa Cruz Film Festival

Film Festival Gent

Rehoboth Beach Pride Film Festival

Tallgrass Film Festival

Utah Queer Film Festival

Way Out West Film Festival

OUTshine Film Festival

Virginia Film Festival

Melbourne Queer Film Festival

American Film Festival

Key West Film Festival

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival

Roze Filmdagen

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