British Producer JULIA VERDIN has established herself as one of Hollywood's leading independent Producers.

Julia Verdin on IMDB

Julia produced the critically acclaimed 2004 Newmarket release STANDER, a British/ Canadian/ South African co-production starring Tom Jane, Deborah Unger, Dexter Fletcher and David O'Hara directed by Bronwen Hughes ('Forces of Nature'). Julia is an Executive Producer on MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Michael Radford, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes which was released to great critical acclaim by Sony Classics December 2004, and Co-Producer on RIDING THE BULLET based on a Steven King story directed By Mick Garris starring David Arquette, Jonathan Jackson, Erica Christensen and Barbara Hershey, released theatrically Autumn 2004.   Her most recent project THE LEAST AMONG YOU starring Lou Gossett Jnr, Lauren Holly and William Devane recently premiered at The Palm Springs International festival. Julia is currently a director of Seven Arts Plc - a British film production company. Shortly to go into production is CATWALK to be directed by Tony Hickox and MEN DON'T LIE to be directed by Jane Spencer starring Jean Hughes Anglade, Michael Madsen and Karrine Vanasse.

Julia started her producing career as head of production for the U.K. Company WASA Films. During her four years at WASA, Julia was involved in setting up THE FOURTH PROTOCOL, based on Frederick Forsythe's best seller, starring Michael Caine, Pierce Brosnan and Joanna Cassidy. Julia then went on to produce SPYTRAP, a comedy directed by Arthur Sherman and released in the U.S. by Hemdale. Following this, she produced THE OPEN WINDOW, directed by Rupert Wainwright for Chanticleer, which premiered on Showtime.  

Before leaving WASA, Julia also developed two projects, A WITCH IN NEW YORK and JUNK JOHNSON, which were picked up by Orion and Pathe/MGM. In addition, Julia produced a short film for Philips Interactive Media of America and produced and hosted the international entertainment TV show HOLLYWOOD UPDATE. She has also produced segments and acted as one of the lead presenters for the British entertainment series INVITATIONS. Prior to her producing career Julia started in the film business as an actress and appeared in several British films and popular British TV series and still does the odd cameo appearance in films and has also done some TV presenting work on film related shows.

Other films she has recently produced include I WITNESS directed by Rowdy Harrington, starring Jeff Daniels and James Spader, GREEN MAIL starring Steven Baldwin and Tom Skerritt, THE SHIPMENT starring Mathew Modine and Nick Turturro, Elisabeth Berkley, THE CONTAMINATED MAN starring William Hurt, Peter Weller and Natascha McElhone and STYX starring Peter Weller, Angus MacFayden and Brian Brown, directed by Alex Wright and all for Promark UK. Julia was also an associate producer on IN PURSUIT directed by Peter Pistor starring Daniel Baldwin, Claudia Shiffer and Dean Stockwell. Julia also co-produced BALLAD OF THE NIGHTINGALE with Virginia Madsen, Maria Cuccinota (Il Postino) Seymour Cassell, Michael Madsen and Harry Dean Stanton and LONE HERO, directed by Ken Sanzel starring Lou Diamond Philips, Sean Patrick Flanery and Robert Forester, BLACK POINT, directed by David MacKay starring David Caruso, Thomas Ian Griffith and Susan Haskell,  SLIPSTREAM starring Sean Astin and Vinnie Jones, INFINITE DARKNESS starring Casper Van Dien and Erika Eleniak, PAST PERFECT, starring Eric Roberts for Nu Image and THE SET UP, a bank heist thriller based on a James Hadley Chase best-selling novel, which stars Billy Zane, James Coburn, Mia Sara and James Russo for MGM/Showtime during 1994. In 1993 Julia produced TEMPTATION, an action-packed revenge thriller for Dino De Laurentiis Communications starring Jeff Fahey, David Keith and Alison Doody. Directed by Strathford Hamilton and filmed on location in Miami, it premiered at the Florida Film Festival. MATTERS OF TRUST and DETOUR were both picked up by October Films, and BREED APART premiered on HBO under the title PERFECT ASSASINS.

Other projects in development include family film RILEY PARKS to be directed by Jeffrey Obrow, NEUROMANCER based on the William Gibson Sci Fi Best seller to be directed by Joseph Kahn, ROMEO SPY - a Spy story to be directed by Bronwen Hughes, CINDY IN IRAQ to be directed by Eva Gardos and BLIND BASTARDS CLUB to be directed by Ash Baron - Cohen.

One of Julia's many strengths is her excellent talent connections and knowing how to acquire the talent and structure a stellar cast around a great script and minimal budget. She has strong story sense and good development skills in working with writers. She has a great passion for film and excellent industry knowledge. She also has an excellent hand on ability on set and great people skills and has managed to bring in all the films she has hands on produced on time and on budget.

She currently divides her time between the London and Los Angeles and also serves on the board of director of BAFTA-LA and Seven Arts Pictures PLC as well as running her own film production company - Rough Diamond Productions.   She also owns a management company Rough Diamond Management that represents many talented actors.   Julia likes to find films that have both a commercial appeal to them and also a good social message.   She is very passionate about the business and over the years has spoken on many panels and also helped up and coming talent get their foot in the door.