Prof. Gretchen Jude is Composer of Emmy-Winning Film!

Congratulations to F&MAD’s very own Dr. Gretchen Jude, who is now officially the composer of an EMMY-WINNING film! Last night, FREE CHOL SOO LEE, a film on which Gretchen was the composer, won the Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary.

The documentary, directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, tells the story of Korean immigrant Chol Woo Lee, who was wrongly convicted of murder and inspired a pan-Asian solidarity movement to overturn his conviction. "Free Chol Soo Lee is what documentary filmmaking should strive for as a medium built of humanity and empathy,” wrote critic Nick Allen on RogerEbert.com.

Professor Gretchen Jude wrote the following about her experience working on the film: “I watched the rough cut less than four months before our Sundance premiere. Despite the time crunch, I felt instantly committed to the project. Free Chol Soo Lee tells the gripping story of a young Korean immigrant wrongly convicted of murder, with extensive interviews and archival footage that provide a keen sense of the story’s immediacy and relevance. The challenge I had as a composer was to help integrate interviews and archival footage into a coherent arc, underlining the story’s emotional nuance.  I used simple instrumentation (voice, piano and electronics as well as archival field recordings) and referenced traditional Korean lullabies at key moments. I aimed to amplify the communal energy Chol Soo channeled (and continues to inspire)–and ultimately, to pay tribute to his memory.”

And you can watch the film! To watch on your computer, go to pbs.org and search the film title Free Chol Soo Lee. To watch the film on a TV, phone, or tablet, you’ll need to download the PBS App. On a TV, that means downloading the app on Roku, Apple TV, or your smart TV interface. Once you’re in the PBS App, look for the Independent Lens title or search for Free Chol Soo Lee.