When Julia Fisher Farbman ’08 made Audrey’s Children, she didn’t just write and produce a feature-length film; she fulfilled a promise. The movie tells the extraordinary story of pioneering pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans, whose work transformed cancer care and inspired the founding of the Ronald McDonald House. Fisher Farbman had been close family friends with Dr. Evans since she was a child, and went on to profile Audrey on her documentary web series Modern Hero—a short episode that garnered over 17 million views and sparked thousands of messages from people whose lives had been forever changed by Audrey’s life work,  Fisher Farbman felt a profound sense of purpose. “It was a lightning bolt moment—I just knew I had to tell her story,” she says.

After earning her degree in communications from Drexel University, she got her start producing at 6ABC in Philadelphia in the programming department. She went on to co-found a production company that created original programming – including Modern Hero, a digital series Fisher Farbman hosted & produced, that profiled extraordinary women making an impact in their communities and beyond.

Throughout her career, Fisher Farbman has worked on live productions, productions at esteemed venues like the National Constitution Center, produced the Emmy-nominated ABC special "Celebrate Equality: The Future of Women's Rights" in collaboration with U.N. Women, and interviewed high-profile changemakers such as Michelle Obama and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. She now runs Emblem Entertainment, a full-service production company dedicated to amplifying unsung heroes and inspiring positive change in the world through storytelling.

“Every person who lets me tell their story trusts me with their legacy,” she says. “That’s a responsibility I take very seriously.”

Through this work, Fisher Farbman has honed her skills not only as a storyteller but also as a producer, managing crews, shaping narratives, and navigating the evolving world of media. But Audrey’s Children called for something more. “I had produced television, but film is a different muscle,” she explains. “If I was going to ask people to invest millions in a project, I needed to be fully prepared.”

To equip herself for the demands of feature filmmaking, Fisher Farbman enrolled in the visiting student program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. There, she immersed herself in courses on screenwriting and producing. “It was like a crash course in filmmaking,” she says. “I was writing drafts of the script for Audrey’s Children and building my business plan the entire time.”

Over the next seven years, she poured herself into the project. Fisher Farbman wrote and refined the screenplay, assembled a production team, raised the financing, and managed the many layers of production. “Being a producer is like being the CEO of a startup,” she says. “You handle the budget, contracts, hiring, creative vision, and ultimately, the distribution. It’s exhausting and exhilarating.”

The film was shot in just 23 days and went on to screen at festivals and theaters around the country, taking home “Best Feature Film” in the Tribeca X Category of the Tribeca Film Festival. The response has been deeply moving for Fisher Farbman, especially from those who consider themselves “Audrey’s children,” former patients of Dr. Evans or residents of Ronald McDonald Houses. “People come up to me in tears saying they feel seen, that their story was told,” Fisher Farbman says. “It’s been the greatest honor professionally and personally.”

Fisher Farbman is currently developing several new projects, including a movie-musical exploring mental health and a series of children’s books. “I go where the stories take me,” she says. “If it moves my soul or feels like it can make a difference, that’s the work I want to do.”

Her personal experiences with mental health challenges have made this work especially meaningful. “I haven’t seen my experience reflected in film or television in a way that feels both real and hopeful,” she explains. “Music, and stories in general, have a way of unifying, healing, and bringing meaning to difficult experiences. I want the story I’m writing to make the next generation of young people feel less alone in their struggles, and hopefully create a joyful and entertaining musical experience for all.”

Fisher Farbman is intentional with the projects she takes on. “I give everything 200 percent,” she says. “And now that I’m a mother, my time feels especially precious. If I’m going to spend time away from my child, it has to matter to me.”

Fisher Farbman appreciates the impact her Shipley teachers made on her life. “Shipley fostered my love of the arts—especially through musical theater,” she says. She remembers fourth-grade teacher Linda Van Horn and theater teacher Cookie Angstadt as particularly influential.

She also cherishes the friendships she formed at Shipley, many of which have lasted into adulthood. “Some of my closest friends to this day are people I met at Shipley,” she says. “That kind of community—where people truly support each other—is rare and so meaningful.”

With Audrey’s Children, Fisher Farbman set out to honor a remarkable life—and in doing so, found her own purpose amplified. “I made a promise to Audrey that the film would make a difference in the lives of children,” she says. “I’m proud that I’ve kept that promise.”

In telling stories that inspire compassion, courage, and connection, Fisher Farbman is shaping a legacy of her own—one that aligns deeply with the values Shipley strives to instill.

Learn more about the film Audrey's Children.