{{short description|American independent filmmaker|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox person |name = Kat Candler |image = Kat Candler interview (cropped).jpg |caption = Candler interviewed in 2013 |birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia |death_date = |death_place = |alma_mater = Florida State University |occupation = Filmmaker |spouse = }} '''Kat Candler''' (born November 11, 1974) is an American film writer, producer, and director. She wrote and directed the 2014 film ''Hellion,''<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=June 18, 2014|title=Kat Candler Emerges from the Austin Film Scene with "Hellion"|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/kat-candler-emerges-from-the-austin-film-scene-with-hellion/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Texas Monthly}}</ref> and has worked on television shows including ''13 Reasons Why'' and ''Queen Sugar''.
==Life== Candler grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. After graduating from Florida State University, she began her filmmaking career in Austin, Texas.<ref>{{cite news |title=Things I've Learned: Kat Candler |url=https://www.austinmonthly.com/things-ive-learned-kat-candler/ |work=Austin Monthly |date=2017-08-01}}</ref>
== Career ==
''Hellion'', starring actors Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis, screened at the Sundance Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chai|first=Barbara|date=2014-01-22|title=Aaron Paul, Josh Wiggins Debut Sundance Film 'Hellion' (Video)|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/01/22/aaron-paul-josh-wiggins-debut-sundance-film-hellion-video/|access-date=2020-10-09|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> Candler's work in television includes directing seven episodes of Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey's ''Queen Sugar.'' Candler oversaw season two of ''Queen Sugar'' as the producing director and season three as its showrunner.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 17, 2017|title='Queen Sugar': Kat Candler Named New Showrunner For Season 3 Of OWN Drama|url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/queen-sugar-kat-candler-new-showrunner-season-3-own-drama-1202189752/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Deadline}}</ref> Candler directed two episodes of the Netflix series ''13 Reasons Why—''season two, episode nine "The Missing Page" and season two, episode ten "Smile, Bitches." During season three, she continued with the show as the consulting producer. Candler directed season two, episode nine of ''Sorry for Your Loss'', entitled "The Whale." Candler also directed two episodes of the Apple TV+ show ''Home Before Dark''—season one, episode five "88 Miles an Hour" and season one, episode six "The Green Bike"< as well as season two, episode three of ''Dirty John''. The episode—entitled "Marriage Encounter"—aired June 9, 2020 on the USA Network.
Candler is currently writing and developing a horror film for Fox Searchlight<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=March 8, 2019|title='Queen Sugar' Showrunner Kat Candler to Helm 'Splitfoot' at Fox Searchlight|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/kat-candler-splitfoot-fox-searchlight-1203158854/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Variety}}</ref> and a TV series set in the oil refinery world of southeast Texas for TNT.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=November 6, 2019|title=Ava DuVernay, Kat Candler to Develop Texas Labor Union Series at TNT|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/ava-duvernay-kat-candler-tnt-texas-1203395256/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Variety}}</ref> Most recently, she was listed as the director of the television pilot ''The Republic of Sarah''<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=March 3, 2020|title='The Republic Of Sarah': Izabella Alvarez, Nia Holloway & Hope Lauren Join CW Drama Pilot; Kat Candler Directs|url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/the-republic-of-sarah-izabella-alvarez-nia-holloway-hope-lauren-join-cw-drama-pilot-kat-candler-directs-1202873448/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Deadline}}</ref> for The CW, set to premiere some time in 2021. Candler is writing, executive producing and developing ''Lords of Dogtown'' for IMDb TV, a television series based on the 2005 film of the same name.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=January 6, 2021|title='Lords Of Dogtown' TV Series Based On Movie In Works At IMDb TV From Kat Candler, Shawn Ryan & Sony TV|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/lords-of-dogtown-tv-series-based-on-movie-imdb-tv-kat-candler-shawn-ryan-catherine-hardwick-1234665747/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 2, 2021|website=Deadline}}</ref> Candler directed 2 episodes of the Netflix 2026 series ''Little House on the Prairie''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=March 4, 2026 |title=‘Little House on the Prairie’ Reboot Sets Release Date, Netflix Renews Show for Season 2 |url=https://au.variety.com/2026/tv/news/little-house-on-the-prairie-release-date-netflix-season-2-33805/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 30, 2026 |website=Variety Australia}}</ref>
==Awards==
*2014 Sundance Institute Women's Initiative Fellow *2014 San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Grant, Untitled Black Metal Project *2014 deadCenter Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize, Hellion *2014 Sundance Film Festival Nomination Grand Jury Prize, Hellion *2014 SXSW Gamechanger Award Special Mention, Hellion *2014 Humanitas Prize Nomination, Hellion *2014 Dallas International Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize, Hellion *2013 Austin Film Grant, Hellion *2013 San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Grant, Hellion *2013 Best Narrative Short, deadCenter Film Festival, Black Metal *2013 Grand Jury Prize, Dallas International Film Festival, Black Metal *2012 No Borders IFP Participant, Hellion *2012 Best Short Film, Cine Chicks Film Festival, Hellion *2012 Texas Filmmakers Production Fund Recipient, Black Metal *2012 Best Live Action Short, BAMKids, Love Bug *2012 Best Live Action Short, Children's Film Festival Seattle, Love Bug *2011 IFP Emerging Narrative Participant, Nikki is a Punk Rocker *2011 Best Short, Festival Internacional de Cine Para Ninos, Love Bug *2010 2nd Place Jury Prize, Chicago's Children's Film Festival, Love Bug *2010 Best Florida Short Film, Jacksonville Film Festival, Love Bug *2010 semi-finalist, Austin Film Festival, Never Date a Teen Idol *2010 Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival, Audience Award, Love Bug *2009 Austin Film Festival Audience Award, Love Bug *2009 Official Participant in the Tribeca All Access Program, The Spider in the Bathtub *2007 Austin Chronicle Cover Story *2007 Austin Breakout Filmmaker, Austin American Statesman
==Filmography==
*''The Republic of Sarah'' (Director 101), The CW *''Home Before Dark'' (Director 105 & 106), Apple TV+ *''Dirty John'' (Director 203), USA *''Sorry for Your Loss'' (Director 209), Facebook Watch *''Queen Sugar'' Season Three (Director, 312 and 313) *''Queen Sugar'' Season Three (Writer, 301, 309 and 313) *''Queen Sugar'' Season Three (Showrunner), OWN Network *''Queen Sugar'' Season Two (Director 201 and 207), OWN Network *''Queen Sugar'' Season Two (Producing Director Season 2), OWN Network *''13 Reasons Why'' (director, two episodes, season 2), Netflix *''12 Monkeys'' (Director 306), SyFy *''Queen Sugar'' (Director 108 and 109), Harpo Productions *''Bad Moms'', (2nd Unit Director), STX Entertainment *''The Rusted'', 20 minutes, (Writer, Director), Canon, Grey Agency *''Hellion'' (2014) Feature film *''Black Metal'' (2013) – director, writer, producer *''Love Me'' (2012) – writer *''Saturday Morning Massacre'' (2012) – story by *''Hellion'' (2012) Short film – director, writer *''Love Bug'' (2009) – director, writer *''Jumping Off Bridges'' (2006) – director, writer, producer *''Pilot and Olo (TV Short)'' (2005) – director, writer *''Roberta Wells'' (2004) – director, writer *''The Absence of Wings'' (2002) – director, writer, editor *''Cicadas'' (2000) - director, writer, producer, editor *''Little House on the Prairie'' (2026, Netflix) - director
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=133773|name=Kat Candler}} *[http://www.candlerproductions.com/ Candler Productions]
===Interviews=== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051214172251/http://www.austinist.com/archives/2005/07/29/austinist_interview_with_kat_candler_austin_filmmaker.php Interview with Austinist]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Candler, Kat}} Category:American film editors Category:American women film editors Category:Film producers from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American women film directors Category:Florida State University alumni Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:American women screenwriters Category:Writers from Atlanta Category:American women television directors Category:American television directors Category:Film directors from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Screenwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American women film producers Category:21st-century American women writers Category:21st-century American screenwriters Category:Mass media people from Atlanta