‘Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue’ Is Now Streaming

Plus, the documentary showcasing SI Swimsuit’s founding editor, Jule Campbell, will be available on Blu-Ray next month.
Jill Campbell
Jill Campbell / Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

Following an incredible reception at film festivals across the country and exclusive, one-night only screening events, Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s SI Swimsuit Issue is available now on streaming platforms.

The documentary showcases SI Swimsuit founding editor Jule Campbell’s incredible career, and was directed by her daughter-in-law, Jill. The film explores Jule’s life and career as a woman who broke glass ceilings in a male-dominated industry, and features interviews with models and SI Swimsuit moguls like Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks, Elle Macpherson, Paulina Porizkova, Kathy Ireland andCarol Alt. Jule was instrumental in the creation of the very first SI Swimsuit Issue, released in 1964, and her groundbreaking vision led to the invention of the supermodel. Jule was adamant about featuring models’ names within the pages of the magazine, which was simply unheard of at the time.

Jule Campbell, Walter Iooss and Carol Alt
Jule Campbell, Walter Iooss and Carol Alt / Courtesy of Jill Campbell

“Jule possessed a magnetism that was born out of contradiction. She lived a glamorous life, traveling every inch of the world working with the most iconic models, photographers and journalists of her day, but what made her special was her deep sense of empathy and the authentic interest she took in the lives of those around her, whether she had known them for 10 minutes or 30 years,” Jill told SI Swimsuit following Jule’s death in December of 2022.

Jule Campbell and Elle Macpherson
Jule Campbell and Elle Macpherson / Courtesy of Jill Campbell

The 107-minute project hosted its world premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival in October of 2024, and then premiered at other events like the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Montclair Film Festival and New York’s Village East by Angelika throughout the fall.

Critical acclaim and praise for Beyond the Gaze

The film was named Best Documentary winner at the 2025 Omaha Film Festival and received The Enlightenment Award at Docutah earlier this spring. Jill was also a 2024 nominee for Excellence in Directing a Documentary Film courtesy of the Woodstock Film Festival for her work on the project.

Ireland, who starred on the cover of the 1989 SI Swimsuit Issue following her photo shoot in Cabo San Lucas, appeared on TODAY earlier this week to discuss the project, where she praised Jill for her incredible work.

Kathy Ireland and Elle Macpherson
Kathy Ireland and Elle Macpherson / Courtesy of Jill Campbell

“She captured Jule,” Ireland gushed. “If this film was in any other hands, it would be very different, but Jill did such a beautiful job in Beyond the Gaze of telling the story of a strong woman at a time when Jule didn’t have a lot of role models and she persevered, she fought and she did brilliantly.”

Where to stream Beyond the Gaze

The documentary is now streaming on digital platforms including Kanpoy, Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango and YouTube. Learn more here.

Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley / Courtesy of Jill Campbell

Is Beyond the Gaze available to purchase?

While the film is available now to stream via the platforms listed above, you can own a copy of the documentary on Blu-Ray when it becomes available for purchase on Tuesday, Dec. 23. Pre-order Beyond the Gaze here.

Swim Edit newsletter. Get SI Swimsuit’s Free Newsletter. light. Sign Up


Published |Modified
Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.