Biography

Christina Kallas is one of the few women writer-directors actively working today with three critically acclaimed feature films under her belt. Having started out as a musician and lived in several countries and continents, Kallas's diverse background profoundly influences her filmmaking approach. A two-time Berlinale and Slamdance alumna, she has made her mark as the writer-director of genre-bending feature films "Paris is in Harlem" (2023), "The Rainbow Experiment" (2018), and "42 Seconds of Happiness" (2016), as well as the writer-producer of the Golden Berlin Bear-nominated political thriller "The Commissioner", starring John Hurt.

"Paris is in Harlem" was one of only six feature films selected for Slamdance International Film Festival's prestigious Breakouts slate, which features films by "directors who demonstrate a determined vision of filmmaking that is distinctly their own. These artists continue to push the boundaries of filmmaking, creating their own genres and forms." "Paris is in Harlem" screened in competition at several international film festivals, including Galway, Munich, and Thessaloniki, receiving rave reviews and a perfect RT score. It has also been featured on airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways.

"The Rainbow Experiment" was lauded as a "21st Century Rashomon" and was picked up by Paramount+ after its international debut at the Moscow International Film Festival, the FIRST International FF in China, and an impressive run at festivals such as Moscow, Slamdance, Cinequest, Cleveland, and St. Louis, winning several accolades. In 2019, Kallas was nominated by a panel of 30 international film critics for Best Director in Film Threat's and Comedy Central's inaugural Award This! initiative, alongside Debra Granik, Josephine Decker, Chloe Zhao, Mimi Leder, Boots Riley, Bo Burnham, Alex Garland, Ali Abbasi, and Paul Dano.

In 2016, after a highly successful career as a screenwriter, TV writer, and film producer, Kallas made her mark on the film festival circuit with her award-winning debut feature as a director, "42 Seconds of Happiness". Her prior credits include BBC Films' hooligan drama "I.D.", Toronto and Berlinale doc/narrative hybrid "Mothers", and European TV series hits "Edel & Stark" and "Danni Lowinski", as well as limited series "The Second Attack", which she was originally going to direct. She departed the series to focus on limited series "Displaced".

Kallas served as President of the European Writers Guild equivalent, FSE, for eight years and as chair of film funds such as the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and the Balkan Fund. Holding a PhD in film studies, Kallas has taught screenwriting and directing at Columbia, NYU, Feirstein, and the DFFB. She is also a mentor for the Venice International Film Festival's Biennale College Cinema and the author of books such as "Creative Screenwriting: Understanding Emotional Structure" and "Inside the Writers' Room". Kallas is a voting member of the European Film Academy and the German Film Academy.
- IMDb mini biography by: Writers Improv Studio