Filmmaker Diagnosed with Lymphoma

Julie Reichert, who along with her partner Steven Bogner, have a hit film at the Sundance Film Festival, had to cut short her plans when tests indicated she has lymphoma.



Bognar and Reichert spent nearly nine years filming five children with cancer at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for "A Lion in the House" nominated for best documentary at Sundance. The festival ends Sunday.



More than two dozen people involved with the film - cancer patients' families, their doctors and film editors - flew to Utah, for the premiere last Friday. The film received two standing ovations last weekend. "We couldn't have hoped for a better response," Bognar says. The Salt Lake Tribune called "Lion" as one of the best films at the festival, citing its "courageous, inspiring and heartwarming stories."



While Reichert's diagnosis is ironic given her work filming children with cancer (and a daughter who is a cancer survivor), Bogner says Reichert "... is ready to look at her own cancer."



We wish her well during her treatment. More about the film at ITVS.