About

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, spanning feature documentaries, primetime series, long-form television, and podcasts. Her work is recognised for its emotional intelligence, narrative clarity, and strong visual authorship, and has been commissioned and broadcast across New Zealand and internationally.

Julia holds citizenship in New Zealand and the United Kingdom and has filmed extensively both at home and overseas, with projects taking her from Iraq to Japan and beyond.

She is a visual storyteller with a particular strength in long-form interviews and editorial shaping, and is deeply engaged in the craft of editing as a narrative and ethical process. Alongside directing, Julia brings significant experience in creative development, financing, and production leadership.

Julia is the founder and executive producer of Loading Docs, Aotearoa New Zealand’s most successful short documentary initiative. Under her leadership, Loading Docs has produced 86 films, supported over 200 filmmakers, and reached more than 20 million viewers worldwide. The project is widely regarded for balancing creative risk, audience reach, and mentorship at scale.

Combining rigorous documentary practice with a strong focus on audience engagement, Julia creates ambitious, contemporary stories for television, cinema, and digital platforms, work that is both accessible and grounded in real-world consequence. She is known for building trust with contributors and for guiding sensitive stories with care and authority.

Julia is a board member of the Digital Media Trust (NZ On Screen and AudioCulture), a guest lecturer in documentary at Unitec, and has served as a jury member for FIFO Tahiti, Doc Edge Festival, WIFT New Zealand Film and Television Awards, and the Aotearoa Music Awards

Read more about Julia’s filmography here.