Portrait by Anna Skahill
Julian Higgins is a Los Angeles-based director, writer, and producer.
His first feature, GOD'S COUNTRY – a neo-Western thriller starring Thandiwe Newton – premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired for worldwide distribution by IFC Films and Universal International.
Prior to GOD'S COUNTRY, Julian's short films screened at over a hundred festivals around the globe and won dozens of prizes, including the gold medal Student Academy Award, two Student Emmy Awards, and the grand prize of Ron Howard’s “Project Imagination” Contest. His 2015 short, WINTER LIGHT, was a top ten finalist for the Oscar.
On the strength of his film work, Julian made his television directing debut at the age of 26 with one of the final episodes of HOUSE. More recently, he executive produced and directed Seasons 2 & 3 of the anthology drama series GUIDANCE, streaming on Apple TV+.
A New Hampshire native, Julian holds a BFA in Film from Emerson College and an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute. He now teaches at both institutions, has served as Advisor-in-Residence for Sundance Collab, and offers his "Business of Directing" course as an independent online workshop.
Julian is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and the Directors Guild of America.