Julian Richards

Born in Newport, South Wales in 1968, Julian Richards developed an early interest in filmmaking, inspired by his uncle's acting career. He honed his craft through numerous short films made on Super 8 mm and 16 mm formats, gaining recognition and broadcast opportunities during his education at Gwent College of Higher Education and the National Film and Television School. His early career included work in Los Angeles and directing episodes of the British soap opera Brookside.

Richards is recognized for his feature film directorial work, often within the horror genre. His debut feature, 'Darklands' (1997), explored themes of paganism and became associated with the 'Cool Cymru' cultural movement in Wales. He has since directed a variety of films, including thrillers and horror features such as 'Silent Cry,' 'The Last Horror Movie,' 'Summer Scars,' 'Shiver,' 'Daddy's Girl,' and 'Reborn.' In addition to directing, Richards has also expanded into film production and established the world sales company Jinga Films in 2006, which represents a significant catalogue of genre films.

Julian Richards was born in Newport, South Wales, in 1968. His father owned a DIY retail business, but it was his uncle Rex Richards's Hollywood acting career that inspired Julian to pursue filmmaking. He began by producing short films on Super 8 mm, including titles like 'The Curse of Cormac' and 'Gang War.' One of his early works, 'The Girl That Cried Wolf,' was even broadcast by the BBC. Richards attended St Julian's Comprehensive School and Gwent College of Higher Education for Art & Design Foundation studies. He later moved to Bournemouth and Poole College of Art to study film, where he directed more Super 8 mm shorts and 16 mm shorts such as 'Pirates' and 'Queen Sacrifice.' 'Pirates' received the Starting Out Award at the Celtic Media Festival in 1988, and 'Queen Sacrifice' won the Thames Television Award for Best Fiction Film at the BP Expo–British Short Film Festival in 1990. Furthering his education, Richards attended the National Film and Television School, graduating in 1992 with the short film 'Bad Company,' which was broadcast on ITV Wales and screened at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles.

Following his graduation, Richards relocated to Los Angeles in 1992, working for Shapiro Glickenhaus Entertainment and adapting Chris Westwood's novel 'Calling All Monsters' for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. Returning to the UK in 1994, he directed for BBC2 and contributed to the Channel 4 soap opera 'Brookside.' His directorial feature debut was 'Darklands' in 1997, a film exploring underground paganism that garnered awards, including the Méliès d'Argent for Best European Fantasy Film, and was distributed by Pathé. 'Darklands' became associated with the 'Cool Cymru' cultural period in Wales. Richards continued to direct genre films, including the urban thriller 'Silent Cry' and the micro-budget horror 'The Last Horror Movie,' which he also produced and which won numerous awards. His filmography includes 'Summer Scars,' a coming-of-age thriller that won BAFTA Cymru awards, and the documentary 'Charles Dickens's England.' More recent directorial efforts include psychological horror films like 'Shiver,' 'Daddy's Girl,' and the paranormal horror 'Reborn,' as well as a segment in the anthology 'Deathcember.'

Julian Richards expanded his role in the film industry by venturing into production and distribution. In 2003, he established Prolific Films, through which he produced and directed the low-budget horror film 'The Last Horror Movie.' This film, a unique take on the serial killer narrative presented as a video diary, achieved significant critical and festival success, securing distribution deals in the US and UK. Later, in 2006, Richards founded Jinga Films, a world sales company. Jinga Films has become a notable entity in the genre film market, representing a substantial catalogue of over 133 films. This venture highlights Richards's multifaceted involvement in the film business, extending beyond directing to encompass production and the international sales and distribution of genre cinema.