Julie Colleen Rubio (born August 9, 1969) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the founder of East Meets West Productions, Rubio is best known for producing the award-winning independent film East Side Sushi.
Early life The youngest of seven siblings and half-siblings, Rubio was born in Burbank, CA, and grew up in the Los Angeles area. After studying at Los Angeles Pierce College, she was trained in acting, producing and directing at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute in both London and New York City. She lived intermittently in California, Hawaii, London and New York. During this period, Rubio acted in commercials and plays (including productions at the Old Ohio Theater), and modeled for magazines.
Career
Film
2000s–2010s: Early work In 2003, Rubio directed, produced, and starred in an exercise video, Yoga Can Balance Your Life. That same year, she wrote and directed her first short film, "Impression", based on a feature-length screenplay written earlier by Rubio. "Impression" was followed by other short films (“Concerned Lady for America”, “Del Cielo”, and “Soledad is Gone Forever”) in which her involvement ranged from acting to writing, directing, and producing. In 2006, she directed, produced, and wrote her first feature-length film, Six Sex Scenes and a Murder, a murder-mystery noir. After Six Sex Scenes and a Murder, Rubio worked on several short films, including "Oakland B Mine". In 2011, Rubio served as executive producer, director, and writer, as well as portraying “Elijah’s Mom” for her debut feature, Too Perfect, a bittersweet coming-of-age tale following several middle-schoolers as they confront big changes in their lives. On her involvement in Too Perfect, Doniphan Blair of CineSource Magazine described Rubio as a “sharp stylist and outspoken activist, politically and cinematically”.
2014: East Side Sushi Rubio produced her best-known film, East Side Sushi, in 2014. A story about a Mexican immigrant in Oakland, California who dreams of becoming a sushi chef, East Side Sushi touched on many issues that were personally important to Rubio. She said of the production process, “We were able to mix cultures together and have them be respectful of each other…East Side Sushi is such a feminist piece, a very beautiful story about going after your dreams and not giving up. It’s about empowering women. I love that, through this film, we can help little girls grow up with positive role models. I truly believe we can change the world through film.” East Side Sushi was Rubio’s first major critical success, with wins at fourteen film festivals and two more nominations. The film was named one of "the 20 best Bay Area movies of the decade" by the Mercury News.
2017–2023: Further projects Since East Side Sushi, Rubio has produced, written and directed several other short films. She has helped to manage her son Elijah “Kahleo” Stavena’s growing rap career, including producing some of his music videos. Rubio continues to explore themes of cultural sensitivity, gender inequality, and human connection in her upcoming project, a feature-length film called One. One will focus on a Napa Valley wine field worker who follows in her mother’s footsteps to attend Harvard University, where she discovers disturbing revelations about her biological father and works to uncover a solution to sexual assault and gender inequality on campus. The film’s focus on big-picture issues is something that Rubio is committed to maintaining in her filmmaking: "Movies can change people, and I want to be part of that change in a positive way." One is currently in pre-production. In 2022, Rubio became the Vice President of Women In Film SF Bay Area and in 2023 became the President of Women In Film SF Bay Area. Rubio is currently in post-production for her upcoming documentary feature, The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka and the Art of Survival, which explores the life of Polish Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka. The trailer for this film screen at the National Museum in Krakow as part of a major exhibition of Tamara de Lempicka's works from museums and private collections in Europe and the USA entitled Łempicka.
2024: The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival
The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka and The Art of Survival is a feature documentary about the painter through her artwork. The film covers her rise in 1920s Paris, her move to the United States, and her revival in the current art market. The documentary includes newly found archival evidence regarding Lempicka’s birthdate and the Hurwitz family’s conversion from Judaism to Calvinism.
Fashion Rubio owned and operated J. Colleen Boutique in Lafayette, California from August 2013 to August 2016.
J. Colleen Boutique partnered with Wine Women and Film Benefiting Hospice of The East Bay, and Julie Rubio choreographed the fashion show for the charity event, "Wine, Women, and Shoes."
Personal life Rubio gave birth to her only child in 1996, Elijah “Kahleo” Stavena. Rubio moved to Orinda, CA in the early 2000s, where she continued the career in independent film which she had begun in New York. Rubio married Blake Wellen in 2009.
Filmography YearTitleCredited asAwards and nominationsNotesRef2003Yoga Can Balance Your LifeYoga Instructor, director, producerMade for DVD2003"Impression"Director, writerShort film2006“Concerned Lady for America”ActorShort film2006“Del Cielo”Director, producer, writerShort film2006"Soledad Is Gone Forever"ProducerShort film2008Six Sex Scenes and a MurderProducer, writerFeature film2008Medicine for MelancholySpecial thanksFeature film2010"Oakland B Mine"ProducerShort film2011Too PerfectDirector, executive producer, producer, writer, actor (as Elijah's Mom)Feature film2013"Life's About Your Individuality"Director, producerMusic video2013"Everything is Temporary"Director, executive producerPremiered at Mill Valley Film Festival 2013Short film2014East Side SushiProducerSan Francisco Bay Area International Latino Film Festival Audience Award for Narrative Feature
Napa Valley Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay
Cinequest Film Festival Audience Favorite Choice Award for Narrative Feature
CAAMFest Audience Award for Best Narrative
Nominated - CAAMFest Jury Award for Best Narrative
San Francisco IndieFest Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Prescott Film Festival Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature
Black Hills Film Festival, US Best Feature Film
Beloit International Film Festival BIFFY Award for Best Feature Film
Arizona International Film Festival Special Jury Award for Bridging Cultures
Cinema Tropical Award for Best U.S. Latino FilmFeature film2016"Crazy Love"Director, executive producer, producer, writer, actor (as Self)Short film2017"Dance It Off"Executive producer, producerMusic video2017"Hawaii"Executive producer, producerMusic videoTBDOneDirector, producer, writerFeature film2024The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka and The Art of SurvivalDirector, producer, writerFeature film
References
External links
Official website