Documentary and factual films for brands, corporate clients, charities & artists.

DEMO REEL

FILMS

LATEST WORK

01:09

Leotti Ceramics | Léopoldine Cottin

Director & DOP. Léopoldine Cottin’s pottery reflects the countryside where she lives in Southwest France. Surrounded by pine forests, sand dunes and the forever changing hues of the Atlantic Ocean, her pieces combine the emotion and dedication needed to hand-make each individual form with the atmosphere and colours of the nature around. https://leotticeramics.com/

01:37

COTS | Thomas Cottin | Belharra - Hercules Storm

Editor. Thomas Cottin, a big wave surfer in the French Basque region, takes on Belharra after the Hercules storm. Director: Rohan Thomas Surf Footage: Greg Menager Editor: Julia May, Rohan Thomas Sound: Carlos Broermann Surfer: Thomas Cottin https://cots.shop/

02:18

Bloqs | Annalisa Mandia

Director & DOP. Annalisa Mandia uses the space at Bloqs to create giant metal sculptures.

02:20

Storia Brasil | Inhotim

Director & DOP. In Minas Gerais, Brazil, Inhotim is one of the largest outdoor art centres in Latin America.

00:17

Epic Sushi

A social media promo film for the new sushi bar at Epic Biarritz, shot and edited on iPhone 14 Pro.

03:14

Bloqs | Seabound

A short documentary about the company working to reduce carbon from ship emissions.

04:49

La Smalah | 200 Tons

Director & DOP. Four artists transform waste from the Grenier de Mezós (a local bric a brac and in Nouvelle Aquitaine, France) into works of art. The film reflects on the importance of linking art and recycling, while giving professionals the opportunity to network in a rural area during winter.

02:54

Louro Art & Botanics | Our Story

Director & DOP. Conquering addiction and learning to live better in the big city, a young couple set up a flower and art business. 2nd Camera - Itamar Bethancourt

02:38

La Smalah | Welding

Director & DOP Farmers in southwest France come together to learn to design and build their own agriculture tools using metalwork and welding techniques.

03:20

Arte Serrinha | Ferve

Director & DOP. Ferve is an art festival that aims to bring culture to rural São Paulo.

01:46

Jeûne et Jardin | Crusine

Director & DOP. Participants reflect on a gourmet raw food retreat in southwest France. Further info: www.jeuneetjardin.com

02:52

Sounds & Shapes | Melodies

Director & DOP. Vérónica Chacón, mezzo soprano; Maya Irganlina, piano. "Je ne suis pas ce que l'on pense" by O. Strauss Camera Assistant - Nick Araujo Hadjipateras Sound - Rohan Thomas Sound Assistant - Luca Araujo Hadjipateras

05:19

Ensemble Brasil - Suite Retratos 1o Mov. - Pixinguinha (Radamés Gnatalli)

01:36

Abbott | Marcelle Martins

Camera Operator. Branded content created in São Paulo with the production company Late for Cake, directed by Lucca Messer.

06:33

We are together

Fixer & camera operator. Hip hop stories from Rio de Janeiro, showing how urban music culture is changing the lives of young people from the favelas. Collaboration with Phil Clarke-Hill and Ruy Sposati.

02:38

Bloqs | Barnaby Reynolds

Some of Barnaby Reynold's beautifully designed worked is created at the maker's space, Bloqs.

01:32

Abbott | Monitoring Diabetes

Production Company: Late for Cake https://www.lateforcake.com/ DOP - Lucca Messer Camera Operator - Julia May

03:10

Bloqs | Martin Tomsky

Director & DOP. Martin Tomsky creates intricate works compiling elements from the lazer cutter used at Bloqs.

01:44

Abbott | Freestyle Libre | Monitoring Diabetes | Marina

Camera Operator. Participants tell the story of how Freestyle Libre impact their lifestyle as diabetics. Production Company: Late for Cake Director: Lucca Messer

02:48

Storia Brasil | Lee Perry

Self-shooter. Lee Perry's "outerview" after a gig in São Paulo.

10:28

Teranga (2018)

Co-director & DOP. In central São Paulo, there is a mosque and a Senegalese restaurant. Immigrants from Haiti, Senegal, Nigeria and other African countries gather there to celebrate the first day of Ramadan, and we are given a window into the sounds, flavours and colours that unexpectedly arise. Co-directed by Julia May and Tereza Rangel.

02:10

Crane TV | Treco

Director & DOP. Deco Farkas a.k.a Treco began has lived in São Paulo all his life but street art allows him to access new, interesting and inspiring subjects, and in a sense to travel within the city. He often cycles to his locations, piling his equipment onto the bike's carrier. It is a way of exchanging with the city, attaining something new and unexpected. Using spray paint or acrylic, Treco contributes with playful, thoughtful and rather surreal artistic interventions.

13:03

University of Durham | London Cartonera Book Festival

Director & DOP. Cartonera is a social, political and artistic publishing movement that began in Argentina in 2003 and has since spread to countries throughout Latin America. What happens when publishers from in London? How do cartonera books fit into UK library collections? How do these collectives relate their work on social justice, housing, environmental degradation and indigenous rights issues in Mexico and Brazil to community actors in the UK? This documentary supplements the previous Cartonera films by highlighting some of the outcomes of the Activating the Arts research project in collaboration with Catapoesia, Dulcinéia Catadora, La Cartonera, La Rueda Cartonera and Viento Cartonero. http://cartonerapublishing.com/london-cartonera-book-festival-film/

00:40

SushiBe | Eloy Bombazaro

Director & DOP. A Brazilian sushi chef sets up a restaurant in the seaside village of Contis, France.

02:30

Storia Brasil | Cantinho do Baião de Dois

Self-shooter. Maria Frota de Vasconcelos and her husband Milton, from Ceará, Brazil, set up a traditional restaurant in São Paulo and create a homely, approachable environment to welcome customers from all backgrounds. This is a director's cut.

01:54

Storia Brasil | Glorinha de Paula

Self-shooter. Glorinha de Paula's second professional MMA fight in São Paulo as part of a series on male-dominated professions for Storia Brasil. Self-shooting director - Julia May Producer - Sheila Vieira Editor - Clara Campoli

02:09

Océane Bies

Director & DOP. For Océane, the infinite possibilities of objects that can be created from the different forms of willow are a constant source of inspiration and learning. After training at the National School of Basketry in Fay-Billot, she has set up a workshop at her house.

01:43

Abbott | The Simple Act of Cooking

Camera Operator. Production Company: Late for Cake Director/DOP: Lucca Messer

04:12

Pierre's Bees

Director & DOP. Bees in Nouvelle Aquitaine are struck by the varroa mite.

Bio

WHO AM I?

I am a director, DOP and editor with over a decade of experience in the film industry. I have worked across television, feature films, advertising, music videos, corporate films, documentaries and ethnographic projects. Fluent in Portuguese, French, and Spanish, my global perspective and cultural sensitivity enrich my work and shape my outlook on filmmaking.

I specialise in creating captivating documentary and factual content for online platforms, collaborating with clients to ensure their goals are achieved. I also work on independent documentaries for film festivals.

Equipped with my own kit and a vehicle, I can act independently or as a team. Based in London, I am available for projects in the UK and abroad.

For quotes, ideas or to discuss the filmmaking process, please drop me a line.

"I asked Julia to step in for me on a shoot at the last minute and she did an amazing job. It was a sensitive topic and Julia was recommended by a mutual connection. We spoke first and I felt assured she had the experience and approach required to put the contributor at ease and make them feel safe. Julia did a fantastic job - she captured the interviews and b-roll exactly as directed, and added her own creative flair and narrative sensibilities to deliver beautiful footage and an emotionally-resonant interview. I will definitely work with Julia again, and recommend her to others looking for a sensitive and compassionate filmmaker.

- Ruth Edmondson, Story Producer

"I met Julia at a Documentary Filmmaking Course at Academia Internacional de Cinema in São Paulo. From day one, I noticed how special she is. When I joined the Storia team as Editor-in-Chief, Julia was the first person I invited to work with me. She produced, filmed and edited a good number of pieces. She is a great professional. I would love to work with her again."

- Tereza Rangel, Journalist