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John Sheedy

John Sheedy

Television/Theatre Director

John Sheedy is a multi-award winning film, television and theatre director, writer and producer.

John’s first short film MRS MCCUTCHEON had its Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2017, winning Best Australian Short Film. MRS MCCUTCHEON has been invited to play at over 150 Festivals around the world and has been nominated for a multitude of festival awards, winning 52 of these. MRS MCCUTCHEON won Short Film Production of the Year at the 17th Annual Screen Producers Australia Awards, was nominated for Best Short Film at the 7th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, and John received the award for Best Director at the 2018 Australian Directors Guild Awards.

John’s first feature film H IS FOR HAPPINESS for Cyan Films, Universal Pictures Australia and Level K, followed hotly after the success of his first short film. H IS FOR HAPPINESS had its world premiere at the 2019 Melbourne International Film Festival as opening night Family Gala Film. It won the Film Prize at Cinefest Oz 2019, had its European premiere at Berlin International Film festival in 2020, winning the Grand Jury Prize. The film received ten nominations at the 2020 AACTA Awards, including for Best Film and Best Direction. John was also nominated for Best Direction in a Feature Film (Budget $1M or over) at the 2020 ADG Awards.

John’s second short film TARNEIT, a drama, took out the Iris Prize from Cardiff’s International LGBT+ Short Film Prize and Best Director in 2022 and screened as the Opening Night Film at Flickerfest 2023. John was also nominated for Best Direction in a Short Film at the 2022 Australian Director’s Guild Awards.

John is currently in post-production on his second feature film, RUNT written by Craig Silvey and produced by See Pictures.

IN OUR BLOOD, a drama inspired by historical events surrounding the AIDS pandemic in Sydney during the 1980s, marks John’s first adult drama series as set up director. The series is produced by Hoodlum Entertainment for the ABC in celebration of World Pride, hosted by Sydney in 2023 and nominated for a 2023 AACTA Award for Best Mini-Series along with Best Actor (Tim Draxl).

John set-up the teen drama series MORE THAN THIS, for Baby Banksia and the ACTF, which was subsequently acquired by Paramount +.

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