Born and bred in Melbourne, Australia, Judi Levine was drawn to a career in the arts from an early age. While studying drama and film at university, Levine soon realized that her strengths lay in work backstage and behind the camera. Levine taught film and drama at secondary school after Graduating with a Bachelor of Education, and then transitioned into the film business to work her way up the production ladder. Levine’s first job in the entertainment business was as a production co-ordinator on the ABC educational magazine program You, Me and Education.
Levine continued working in all facets of production including commercials and corporate videos, and various mini-series and features. Her first role as producer was on the award-winning short film Plead Guilty, Get A Bond. The story of an Aboriginal woman and her zealous white legal-aid lawyer, the film stars Chris Hayward and Lillian Crombie, and won an AFI award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film.
One of Levine’s most accomplished works is the award-winning feature film The Sessions, a moving true-life story based on the sexual awakening of poet and journalist Mark O’Brien who spent most of his life in an iron lung. Starring Oscar-winner Helen Hunt, and Oscar nominees John Hawkes and William H. Macy, the film won numerous international awards including Audience Awards at the 2012 Sundance, San Sebastian and Mill Valley Film Festivals, as well as a 2012 Sundance Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Cast. In 2013, the lead cast of The Sessions garnered two Independent Spirit Awards for Best Male Lead and Best Supporting Actress, as well as two Golden Globe nominations in the same categories, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Levine recently co-produced the feature The Catcher was a Spy, a WWII drama about a baseball pro turned secret agent tasked with assassinating German physicist Werner Heisenberg. The stellar cast includes Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniels, Guy Pearce, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong and Sienna Miller. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and opened to critical acclaim across the US in June 2018.
Levine’s other producing credits include the feature film Paperback Romance starring Anthony LaPaglia and Gia Carides, and the documentary Hollywood Gold for The Discovery Channel. During her career, Levine has also worked on numerous renowned television mini-series and documentaries, including the award-winning The Dunera Boys starring Bob Hoskins, Waterfront starring Greta Scacchi and the six-hour documentary series The Migrant Experience for SBS.
Levine has presented at various forums and conferences on independent production and the art of surviving in the toughest movie town in the world. Expanding on her experiences in Los Angeles, Levine developed the seminars Jump Start to Hollywood, aimed at helping aspiring artists find an easier path to establishing themselves in the US.
In addition to producing in Australia, Judi’s work has led her to projects all around the globe. Her company Such Much Films is currently in development on a variety of feature film and documentary projects, all of which reflect her passion for telling stories that address the human condition and raise awareness of issues that affect people from all walks of life.