When Naomi Kutin, an Orthodox Jewish girl from New Jersey, broke a world powerlifting record at the age of ten – lifting 215 pounds when she herself weighed only 97 pounds – she quickly became a media sensation, earning the nickname “Supergirl.” This intimate portrait follows her unique coming-of-age story as she fights to hold on to her title while navigating the perils of adolescence — from strict religious obligations to cyberbullying to health issues that could jeopardize her future in powerlifting.
Supergirl follows Naomi — from age 11, through her Bat Mitzvah at 12, and on up to age 14 — and her family through training and powerlifting events as well as documenting their strong faith and involvement in the Orthodox community. While powerlifting may not seem like a typical choice for a young girl, the sport is a family affair. Naomi’s father is an accomplished powerlifter himself and younger brother Ari has also taken up the sport.
As the years pass and Naomi matures, she struggles to stay in her weight class and continue her winning streak. Can this young woman still be “Supergirl” if she can no longer break world records? With her close family supporting her, Naomi begins a journey toward self-acceptance, discovering the importance of both inner and outer strength.
The Filmmaker
Jessie Auritt is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in New York City. Her short film, The Birdman, about the quirky owner of a used music store, premiered at DOC NYC in 2012 and was an official selection at festivals across the country and received numerous awards, including the Grand Jury Prize for Short Documentary at Slamdance in 2013. Auritt made her first film, The Price of Education, about a single mother struggling to provide a better future for her family, as an undergraduate at Tufts University. In addition to independent filmmaking, she has shot, edited, directed, and produced videos for UNICEF, Great Big Story, IFC.com, The New York Daily News, and many other companies and nonprofit organizations. Supergirl marks Auritt’s debut as a feature film director and editor.
Additional Camera
Jessie Auritt
Tommy Brown
Sara Kinney
Rachel Seed
Additional Sound
Marcelo De Oliveira
Louis Gordon
Rich Wattie
Jim Weidner
Field Producer
Liz Morrison
Editing Advisor
Penelope Falk
Title Treatment and Design
Rori Gold
Publicity Assistant
Jacqueline Gurgui
Interns
Nina Attara
Rachel Dotson
Transcribers
Joseph Martin
Suzanne Yavuz
Judaica Consultant and Hebrew Translator
Yael Bridge
Production Assistants
Arika Cullen
Katherine Rodriguez
Audio Post Production by
Bad Animals
Color by
Apache Digital
Post Production Services by
Different by Design
Original Score Composed and Orchestrated by
Eliot Krimsky
Original Score Produced and Mixed by
Derek Nievergelt
Cello: Christopher Hoffman
Clarinet: Adam Schneit
Drums and Bass: Derek Nievergelt
Guitar: Raed El-khazen
Piano and Synthesizer: Eliot Krimsky
Violin and Viola: Adda Kridler
Legal Services Provided by
Donaldson & Callif, LLP
Archival Materials Provided by
The Kutin Family
"That Girl"
Written by Catherine Kelleher, Luke Foskey and Bry Jones
Performed by Catcall
Published by Mushroom Music Publishing
Courtesy of Catherine Kelleher
“dor Mitzuyan" (דור מצויין )
Written by Yishai Lapidot
Performed by Dance Oif Simches
Published by Tevet Films and Productions Ltd
Courtesy of Tevet Films and Productions Ltd
"My Wish"
Written by Stephen Robson (ASCAP) & Jeffrey Levasseur
Published by Music of V2 America (ASCAP) & Domino Publishing Company USA (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Domino Publishing Company Ltd & Jeffrey Steele Music (BMI)(Adm. BPJ Administration)
Performed by Yeshivat Noam 8th Grade Class
Instrumental Track by Musical Creations Karaoke
Special Thanks
100% Raw Powerlifting Federation
Rebecca Auritt
Bloomingdale's
Paul Bossi
Mia Brandt
Congregation Shomrei Torah
Marshall Curry & Elizabeth Martin
Dustin Delaney
Jason Dickerson
Hackensack University Hospital
Rabbi Chaim Hagler
Tonian Irving
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA)
Jewish Women's Archive
Shana Miller
Kevin Oliver
Northwest Film Forum
Raw Unity Meet
Sherry Reisner
Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate
Claudia Saillant
Toby Shimin
Marc Smolowitz
Katrina Taylor
David Teague
Seattle Documentary Association
Women's Sports Foundation
Yeshivat Noam
Rabbi Benjamin Yudin
Fiscal and Production Support Provided by
IFP
Funding Provided by
New York State Council on the Arts
Fork Films
and others. A complete list available from PBS.
Supergirl is a production of 3 See Films.
Supergirl was produced by Jessie Auritt, who is solely responsible for its content.