Spotlight On: LGBTQI+ Representation

Join screenwriters Monica Zanetti (Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), Sisters, My Life Is Murder) and Julie Kalceff (First Day, Starting From Now) for an in-depth conversation on their past and current projects, experiences in the industry, and LGBTQI+ representation in Australian film and television. 

Join us on Tuesday for the next in our Spotlight series. 

WHEN: Tuesday 29 June 2021 7pm AEST / 6.30pm ACST / 5pm AWST

WHERE: Via Zoom online.

RSVP: Essential for all attendees. RSVP via the link above. Attendees will receive a link to the panel one hour before the start time. 

For those who cannot attend, the Spotlight Series is being recorded and made available to AWG members on AWG On Demand.

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Monica Zanetti is an award winning screenwriter & director. Monica wrote and directed Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) which opened the 2020 Mardi Gras Film Festival; the first Australian film to do so in the festival's history. The film was also accepted into Melbourne International Film Festival, Frameline & BFI Flare London to name a few and is being distributed by Arcadia Pictures locally & around the world. She has most recently directed the series Iggy & Ace for SBS. Her earlier work includes writing on the Netflix series Sisters and the ACORN series My Life Is Murder starring Lucy Lawless. She was also a writer/producer on the ABC nightly Comedy series Tonightly With Tom Ballard.

Julie Kalceff is an award-winning Australian writer, director and producer best known for writing, directing and co-producing the television series First Day. This ground-breaking story of a 12-year-old transgender girl starting high school was the first Australian series to star a transgender actor in the lead role. It has sold to multiple territories worldwide including Hulu (US) and CBBC (UK).

In April 2021, the series won a GLAAD Media Award (Children and Youth) which honour media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQIA+ community and the issues that affect their lives. In 2020, First Day was nominated for two AACTA Awards (Australian Academy Awards) for Best Children's Program and Best Screenplay in Television. That same year, the series won its category at the prestigious Rose d'Or Awards which are voted on by over 80 international judges.

Also in 2020, Julie was announced as part of a "powerhouse female directing team" that is spearheading the anthology drama feature Here Out West. Julie first gained international attention when she created, wrote, directed and produced the global hit digital drama series Starting From Now. Attracting critical and popular acclaim, it is one of the most watched web series in the world - amassing over 170 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 humour 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. Julie’s work explores themes such as identity, belonging and resilience in the face of adversity. 

The AWG Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Screen NSW.