Julia Parnell
Julia Parnell’s career began in 1999, and over the past two decades, she has directed and produced hundreds of hours of content, including feature films, primetime series, documentaries, and podcasts. Acclaimed both locally and internationally, Julia is known for crafting emotionally resonant stories with powerful depth.
A visual storyteller, highly skilled interviewer and passionate about the editing process, Julia also excels in financing, creative development, and production leadership. Her work spans the globe, from Iraq to Japan and beyond.
As founder and executive producer of Loading Docs, Julia has mentored over 200 filmmakers, offering strategic insight, actionable feedback, and creative support. Under her leadership, Loading Docs has produced 86 films, amassing 19 million views worldwide.
Combining documentary sensibilities with an absolute focus on audiences, Julia creates ambitious and meaningful stories for television, cinema, and digital platforms that are both commercial and authentic. Subjects from all walks of life trust Julia to share their stories.
Julia is a board member of the Digital Media Trust (NZ On Screen & Audio Culture), a semester guest lecturer in documentary at Unitech, and a jury member for the FIFO Documentary Festival Tahiti, Doc Edge Festival, WIFT New Zealand Film and Television Awards, and Aotearoa Music Awards.
Read more about Julia’s filmography here.
Water Baby
Loading Docs Collection Seven
Festivals / Awards / Clients
Work featured at: Cannes Docs, SXSW, Sydney International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival, Athens International Film Festival, Cork Film Festival, In-Edit Music Documentary Festival, Palm Springs Short Film Festival, Bermuda International Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Doc Edge Documentary Film Festival and NZ International Film Festival.
Clients and Funding Partners: NZ On Air, The New Zealand Film Commission, Madman Entertainment, Submarine, 1091, TVNZ, TVNZ+, Three, Prime, NZ Herald, Stuff, New Yorker, NHK, Al Jazeera, Guardian Australia, Short of the Week, Link.tv, the Swedish Broadcasting Company, NITV and TVB Hong Kong.
Awards: NZ International Film Festival Best Short, Show Me Shorts Best Short, Doc Edge Best Series and Women in Film and Television Woman to Watch.
Nominations: Best Comedy Series NZ Television Awards, Best Director and Best Factual series NZ Web Fest, Best Documentary, Sex and Relationship and Māori or Pasifika NZ Podcast Awards.