Julien Magnat, a French-born director and screenwriter, has recently been selected to participate in the inaugural Screamwriting Fellowship, a program created by Blumhouse and K-period Media in partnership with the Sundance Institute. This prestigious program aims to identify new voices in the horror genre and provide mentorship from industry leaders such as Ryan Murphy, Mike Flanagan, Cindy Holland, Damon Lindelof, and Kevin Williamson.
As part of his new role, Julien has been hired as the head writer on Netflix/TF1's upcoming adaptation of Camilla Läckberg's bestselling crime novel series, Fjällbacka, which has sold over 23 million copies worldwide. Production is set to begin in 2024.
Julien's impressive career spans over two decades, starting with his short film Chastity Blade, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Student Short in 2001. This recognition solidified his reputation as one of France's rising talents.
In 2002, Julien made his feature directorial debut with Bloody Mallory, a queer-themed horror film with a unique blend of Japanese anime aesthetics. The movie premiered at the DC Reel Affirmation Film Festival and London's Frightfest, and has since gained a cult following for its colorful and gender-bending characters.
In 2011, Julien made his North-American debut with Faces in the Crowd, a mind-bending indie thriller starring Milla Jovovich as a witness with 'face-blindness', the inability to recognize people's faces. The film was praised for its inventive premise and Jovovich's strong performance.
Throughout his career, Julien has demonstrated his versatility as a writer, penning scripts for a range of genres and celebrated properties, including comics, animation, and television. His television credits include the Emmy-nominated The Garfield Show, Marvel's Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Ben 10, Saint Seiya, and many more.
Julien is a graduate of the French National Film School, La Fémis, and the University of Reading, England. He also studied documentary filmmaking at the Australian Film Television & Radio School as part of his directorial training. He is a professional member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA),the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the Writer's Guild of America.
In his personal life, Julien resides in West Hollywood in the iconic bungalow once owned by Jack Nicholson, which he shares with his cat, a yard full of coyotes, and a collection of horror movies that may be too extensive for any one person to watch in a lifetime.
