Julia Lerman is a Los Angeles–based writer and director known for her compelling storytelling and collaborative projects. Alongside her filmmaking partner, Roja Gashtili, Julia has earned notable recognition in the industry. Their feature film, Rita Mahtoubian Is Not a Terrorist (2015), was selected for Film Independent’s Directing Lab in 2016 and was among five narrative projects chosen for the 2015 Sundance Creative Producing Labs. That same year, they were inaugural fellows in the Tribeca/Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program with their most recently completed short film, The Last Shift(2015). Rita Mahtoubian Is Not a Terrorist also earned a 2015 nomination for the Student Visionary Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Earlier in their career, Julia and Roja were fellows in AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women (2014), recipients of the Tribeca All Access grant (2013), and participants in IFP’s Emerging Narrative Labs (2010).
Julia began her career in New York City, contributing to acclaimed television programs such as MTV’s True Life and Showtime’s This American Life. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
She served as executive story editor on Wonder Man (2025-2026).
