Kaede is a Japanese-Australian emerging creative with a specific interest in writing and producing. A 2022 graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, she is originally from Gimuy/Cairns, currently based in Naarm/Melbourne.
She has previously interned under a development executive and worked as a Producer’s Assistant, gaining a wide range of experience in development, pre-production, and marketing.
In 2023, Kaede received the Cinespace Residency, through which she wrote and directed her current short, Housekeepers. Most recently, she was mentored by Melissa Lee Speyer through the WIFT Australia Elevate Us initiative and completed the First Break Victoria program.
Her graduate film, Kotoba, has been selected into the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival and won Best Youth Short Film at the St Kilda Film Festival. She was awarded the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Multicultural Film Festival and Kotoba is currently streaming on SBS on Demand.
Having immigrated from Japan at age 7, Kaede grew up bilingual in a mixed culture environment. She is passionate about working with diverse individuals with an interest in exploring ideas surrounding third culture, immigration, ESL and parentification.
