Julie Kalceff
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Julie Kalceff is an award-winning Australian writer, director, and producer best known for writing, directing and co-producing the television series First Day (2020). This ground-breaking story of a 12-year-old transgender girl starting middle school was the first Australian series to star a transgender actor in the lead role. The series sold to multiple territories worldwide including HULU (US) and CBBC (UK) and won an International Emmy Award (Kids: Live Action) in 2021. That same year, First Day won a GLAAD Media Award (Children and Youth) which honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQIA+ community. First Day was nominated for two AACTA Awards (Australian Academy Awards) for Best Children's Program and for Best Screenplay in Television and the series won its category at the 59th Rose d'Or Awards which are voted on by over 80 international judges.
Season 2 of First Day was produced in partnership with Hulu (US) and premiered in March 2022. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Young Teen Series, a GLAAD Award, a Kidscreen Award, an AACTA Award, and the MIPCOM Cannes Diversify TV Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming. Julie was also nominated for an Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction in a Children's TV or SVOD Drama Series Episode.
In 2023, Julie co-directed and co-wrote the feature documentary Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes (2023) about a former Australian Football League (AFL) player and coach who was publicly outed as transgender when Victorian police officers shared photos of her with the press. The film was distributed by Fremantle and premiered in September 2023 on Australia's streaming service Stan.
In 2022, Julie was set-up director on Season 2 of the comedy series The PM's Daughter (2022) and directed the first 5 episodes.
Previously, Julie was part of a "powerhouse female directing team" to spearhead the feature film anthology drama Here Out West (2022). The film opened the Sydney Film Festival in 2021 and was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Feature Film.
Julie first gained international attention when she created, wrote, directed, and produced the global hit digital drama series Starting From... Now (2014). Attracting critical and popular acclaim, it is one of the most watched web series in the world - amassing over 200 million views in 230 countries. The series also sold to and played on broadcast television in Australia. Julie was the sole writer and director on all 30 episodes of the series and was a producer on all five seasons.
In 2018, Julie was selected to participate in Screen Australia's Talent USA Program that introduces the best emerging Australian talent to the international market.
A graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School with a Masters Degree in Scriptwriting, Julie founded and is director of the Sydney-based production company Common Language Films. Julie specializes in utilizing humor to tell dramatic, character-driven, female-centric stories that appeal to a wide audience. She is passionate about authentic representation and inclusion, both on screen and behind the camera.
Season 2 of First Day was produced in partnership with Hulu (US) and premiered in March 2022. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Young Teen Series, a GLAAD Award, a Kidscreen Award, an AACTA Award, and the MIPCOM Cannes Diversify TV Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming. Julie was also nominated for an Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction in a Children's TV or SVOD Drama Series Episode.
In 2023, Julie co-directed and co-wrote the feature documentary Danielle Laidley: Two Tribes (2023) about a former Australian Football League (AFL) player and coach who was publicly outed as transgender when Victorian police officers shared photos of her with the press. The film was distributed by Fremantle and premiered in September 2023 on Australia's streaming service Stan.
In 2022, Julie was set-up director on Season 2 of the comedy series The PM's Daughter (2022) and directed the first 5 episodes.
Previously, Julie was part of a "powerhouse female directing team" to spearhead the feature film anthology drama Here Out West (2022). The film opened the Sydney Film Festival in 2021 and was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Feature Film.
Julie first gained international attention when she created, wrote, directed, and produced the global hit digital drama series Starting From... Now (2014). Attracting critical and popular acclaim, it is one of the most watched web series in the world - amassing over 200 million views in 230 countries. The series also sold to and played on broadcast television in Australia. Julie was the sole writer and director on all 30 episodes of the series and was a producer on all five seasons.
In 2018, Julie was selected to participate in Screen Australia's Talent USA Program that introduces the best emerging Australian talent to the international market.
A graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School with a Masters Degree in Scriptwriting, Julie founded and is director of the Sydney-based production company Common Language Films. Julie specializes in utilizing humor to tell dramatic, character-driven, female-centric stories that appeal to a wide audience. She is passionate about authentic representation and inclusion, both on screen and behind the camera.
