LAWRENCE — History and preserving old buildings are dear to Lorre Fritchy's heart.
Now, she is combining her two loves to tell stories on film as a writer, director and independent filmmaker. Presently, she is working on "Millies," a feature film about a group of mill workers who return from the Strike of 1912 to help a present-day mill owner who is going bankrupt.
Fritchy, 39, was born in Lawrence and grew up in Methuen. A 1987 graduate of Methuen High, she received a degree in writing and literature from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
She and her partner, Gayle Green, have a son, Camden, 3.
— Yadira Betances
When did you become interested in writing?
I've always been a writer and storyteller, but I realized that being a writer alone was not enough, so I expanded my horizon. I've written freelance articles and documentaries.
How did you get into film?
I've always learned visually and recall things visually, so for me it was a natural transition going from writing to film.
What other projects have you done?
"Sandy 'Spin' Slade: Basketball," a documentary on Slade's life, who is considered the best basketball handler in the world. It won the Award of Merit for documentary from the Academy of Video Arts and Sciences in 2001.
I was also executive producer, editor and camerawoman for "The Gay Marriage Thing" about the politics and people in the same sex marriage debate in Massachusetts. Both are now in national distribution.
How did you get the idea for "Millies"?
I was at a book signing at 60 Island St., which I've never been to before. As I looked around, I thought Lawrence is gorgeous when it comes to the mills. That's when I started the outline.
Where are you filming?
It is being filmed from rooftops of mammoth mills, showing gigantic smokestacks, revitalized Lawrence streets and the powerful Merrimack River, which was used to harness the mills. One component is the gradual dismantling of the Lincoln Food building.
Is there a part of you in the story?
Any screenwriter will tell you there's always a hint of them. At the heart of "Millies" is the preservationist that I am. I respect older places, people and stories we learn from them.
How are you connected to the mills?
My great-grandparents, grandparents, great aunts and uncles worked in different mills. My ancestors all helped build the city into the industrial town that it was. Certainly growing up in the shadows of those mills had an effect on me.
What is your goal as a storyteller?
I use specific elements to tell a universal story so other people who might not know about it can relate to it. This is more than the mills, it's something to connect to. If I'm going to be effective, it has to touch the heart.
Is there a special place or time you like to write?
I need to go away to write so I can focus and don't have to think about finances or doing this or that. Most of the manuscript for "Millies" was done at Mill City Gourmet in the Everett Mills. I do a lot of work at night.
What type of research did you do for the manuscript?
I read every newspaper story, binder and look through every photograph at the Lawrence History Center and the Special Collections department at Lawrence Public Library.
While I'm alluding to the incidents, I wanted to know what they ate, wore, how they spoke and what phrases they used. I want to give voices to the people.
