Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue

Opens Wednesday, June 25, 2025

In the 1960s, at the height of the Mad Men era, Jule Campbell shattered glass ceilings by transforming a struggling magazine into a media empire: the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, the most annually anticipated annual publication. Chic and controversial, the mastermind behind this titillating page-turner was a creative trailblazer who navigated a male-dominated workplace while rebuffing accusations of objectification. Campbell transformed the magazine with her vision to showcase female beauty tastefully and artfully.

Daughter Jill’s documentary chronicles her 32-year reign, where she championed intelligence and empowered supermodels like Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs, Roshumba Willams and many others who recall the era and working with her. Weaving together her journey with feminism’s evolution, the film explores the changing gaze on beauty, from objectification to body positivity. Through stunning visuals and intimate interviews with a wise, nonagenarian Campbell herself, we witness a legacy that continues to inspire.

• Country USA
• Running Time 107 minutes
• Format DCP
• Distributor Red Barn Productions LLC
• Director Jill Campbell
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

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