Australian director Kate Woods’ most recent work includes THE LINCOLN LAWYER and THE GOOD LORD BIRD, directing Ethan Hawke, who created, wrote, and starred in the project. Kate was nominated for Best Direction in a TV Movie or Miniseries by the Australian Director’s Guild for Episode 6 of the series. Other projects include the Netflix original series UMBRELLA ACADEMY and MESSIAH and HOME BEFORE DARK for Apple+.
Previous television directing credits include: Four of six episodes of FIGHTING SEASON for Foxtel and SkyVision UK, nominated for 7 Australian industry awards including a 2019 AACTA Award for best miniseries; the multi-award-winning series CHANGI, THE FARM; and SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR’S BABIES.
Since 2005 Kate has primarily worked in the United States, contributing to established titles such as AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D; LAW AND ORDER; NCIS LA; HOUSE MD; SUITS; LIE TO ME; NASHVILLE; ONCE UPON A TIME; REVENGE; SHARK; SVU; PRIVATE PRACTICE; PAST LIFE; BLINDSPOT. As well as limited series: UNDERGROUND; HAND OF GOD; UNSOLVED: THE MURDERS OF TUPAC AND THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
In Australia, she enjoyed a long association with ABC TV drama. Her episodes of GP, PHOENIX AND JANUS were nominated for numerous AFI Awards, including Best Director. The NHK co-production ESCAPE FROM JUPITER won the Children’s Audience Vote for Best Children’s Television Drama at the ATOM Film & Television Awards. CORELLI received a BANFF International Award for Best Episode in a Television Series. Adding to the long list are POLICE RESCUE, HEARTLAND, MERCURY, RAW FM; WILDSIDE; SOMETHING IN THE AIR; MDA; ALL SAINTS; CITY HOMICIDE; the telemovie BLACKJACK and Jim Henson’s sci-fi series FARSCAPE.
In 2008 she received the Australian Directors’ Guild Michael Carson Award for Excellence in Television Drama Direction.
Her first feature film LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020, with widespread media coverage reconnecting cast with fans across the world via Zoom interviews and fan festivities during Covid-19. The film, now considered a modern Australian classic, had a successful festival run worldwide, winning Best Film, Best Actress, and Best Editing at the AFI Awards and Best Film at the IF Awards. It gathered multiple prestigious nominations including the Film Critics Circle of Australia awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Editing, plus the Best Director at the Variety Club of Australia Awards.
Kate is currently in pre-production for the feature film, KANGAROO, produced by StudioCanal and Bunya Productions. It is inspired by the real-life story of the Kangaroo Sanctuary founder Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, who has been saving and raising baby kangaroos in Central Australia since 2005.
