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Joris Debeij

Directing

Biography

Joris Debeij is a documentary filmmaker known for both short- and long-form work that explores deeply human stories. He has directed projects for television and streaming, earning three Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards for his work with KCET. His films have been featured at major festivals including Sundance (Making it in America, 2015), SXSW (Perfectly Normal, 2017), and Tribeca (State of Silence, 2024). He developed and produced State of Silence alongside Diego Luna; the film went on to screen at IDFA, Sheffield DocFest, and other international festivals. In 2025, he released Good Shot, a feature documentary—produced alongside Stephen Curry—set in the Nickerson Gardens housing development in Los Angeles. His work continues to center themes of community, resilience, and personal transformation.

Known For

State of Silence
7.0

A compelling look at the dangerous, continuing risks committed journalists face in Mexico, where reporting on their country’s corruption and “narco politics” has led to the silencing and killing of some of their peers.

State of Silence

2024
Good Shot
N/A

In the heart of Watts, a beloved neighborhood legend named Maxwell seeks redemption as a father after a lifetime of using basketball to mask his pain. Once a symbol of hope for his community, Maxwell now faces the quiet collapse of his past glory, haunted by memories that blur triumph with trauma. As the neighborhood around him changes and his eldest son unexpectedly moves in, Maxwell is forced to confront the man he's become and the father he wants to be. Guided by the same community that once cheered him on, GOOD SHOT is an affecting portrait of a man learning that showing up, even imperfectly, can be its own kind of victory.

Good Shot

2025
Perfectly Normal
N/A

A high-functioning autistic man balancing reality with his imaginary world proves that one can make deliberate choices to find stability and to be more present in life.

Perfectly Normal

2017
Making it in America
N/A

Alma had dreams as a young girl of going to college. Her dreams shattered when the civil war in El Salvador started. Alma's mother sent her with Coyotes to cross the border in the United States. She gained legal status and is working in a clothing factory. She works hard to create a future for her teenage children.

Making it in America

2014
When a Town runs Dry
N/A

Stratford is a small town located in the heart of California's Central Valley. Over the last four years, the region has been suffering from a severe drought, affecting local farmers, businesses, and threatening the community's livelihood.

When a Town runs Dry

2016
Tailwhip
N/A

The dusty Mexican border town of El Centro serves as the backdrop for a 13- year old BMX rider named Erik, and the hero who fuels his passion. In this visceral and tactile film

Tailwhip

Terrance
N/A

At first he seemed a little shy. Quiet but eager to tell stories, share experiences. There is still something opaque about him that signals he's holding back. After a few questions everything begins to fall into place. Terrance's life experience has led him through trauma and hardship that most adults haven't had to contend with. He's lost multiple caretakers, and while he's been fortunate to stay out of the foster care system, he grapples with deep depression and post-traumatic stress disorder due to grief and an overwhelming sense of loss. His story so far has been dominated with the need to cope with past and present, though he looks forward to a day when he can comprehend what he wants for his future.

Terrance