Jith Paul
Editing
Biography
Jith Paul is an Ottawa-based creative who bridges software engineering and independent film. A seasoned professional in systems design and architecture, he founded Treepot Media in 2010 to pursue his long-held passion for filmmaking. Jith's directorial debut, Algebra, a short film about a painter grappling with the loss of his sight, screened at festivals throughout Asia, North America and Europe including the Festival international Entr’2 marches in Cannes, France in 2015. His next directorial effort was an ACTRA union film about a once promising pop singer, who struggles to overcome her debilitating stage fright. The film, A Clean Slate was awarded Best International Short Film at the Valle d'Itria Film Festival in Italy, where it premiered. Jith edited the documentaries Partners for Peace, an official selection at Victoria Film Festival, North Boys, winner of the Founder’s award at the Yorkton Film Festival, and This is My Witness, which premiered at the Paley Centre in New York and was an Official Selection at the Amnesty International Reel Awareness Human Rights Film Festival. Polar Bear Love, Moments, and Perfect, short films Jith produced, were selected to participate in CBC Television’s Short Film Face-off in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. Jith produced Karim Ayari's Before Me / L’homme de la maison, a bilingual narrative film that explores social intolerance and its impact on children. The film has completed a successful run which included a best film award at the Festival du Court-Métrage d'Auch, in France. Jith recently edited Zachary Chabot's bilingual film Bytowne, which was an official selection at the Festival du film de l'Outaouais, and the Ottawa Youth Film Festival where it was awarded runner up in its age category. As founder of the Treepot Film Festival, Jith presented more than 150 Canadian independent films at theatres, campuses, and outdoor venues across downtown Ottawa between 2011 and 2014. When it became clear that the initiative required a more formal and sustainable structure, he helped found the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival (OCan) in 2015, incorporating it federally with partners Ed Kucerak and Blair Campbell. OCan launched its first annual screenings in 2017 and has since presented jury-selected Canadian films across all genres. During Jith’s tenure, the festival achieved registered charity status and became a Canadian Screen Award-qualifying festival. He concluded his service on the OCan board in 2024, ten years after its inception, as the organization entered a new chapter and welcomed fresh leadership for its next decade. Alongside his film work, Jith has built a career as a software systems designer and architect, leading cross-functional teams across diverse technical environments. He brings deep expertise in the design, planning, and lifecycle management of complex, mission-critical digital initiatives, including publishing platforms, web streaming, data persistence, and workflow systems.
Known For
A meticulous stalker finds his dark obsession derailed when an unexpected crisis forces him into a sudden moral dilemma, blurring the lines between predator and protector.
Eyetooth
In a city where every step tells a story, can a timid pair of sneakers find the courage to break routine and walk their way into love?
Shoes in the City
A visual artist falls in love with his muse from whom he hides the fact that he is losing his sight. He descends into madness and shuts out the world when he ultimately becomes a painter without vision.
Algebra: A Reunion of Broken Parts
The story of two strangers who come together for an afternoon and connect despite not speaking the same language.
Bytowne
A woman invites two girlfriends for a perfect afternoon tea, but loses control of the situation when the topic of international relations comes up and reveals the truth of their relationship.
Jasmin et Macarons
A bilingual film that explores social intolerance and its impact on children. Eight-year-old Mathis continues to be influenced by his father's worldview after his recently divorced mother grows closer to her Muslim neighbor.
Before Me
Julius Quicklax meets with his psychologist following what he considered to be a disastrous first date due to his involuntary tics. “Perfect” is a quirky comedy about one man’s attempt to free himself of any flaws, only to learn that perfection can mean many things.
Perfect
The story of a young woman and the moments that changed her life forever.
Moments
A once promising pop singer struggles to overcome her debilitating stage fright with the help of her two friends.
A Clean Slate
Based on filmmaker Dina Salha’s memory from her childhood in Lebanon of a socially rejected and reclusive artist Wadad Rawdah El-Balah, the film follows her to Lebanon to discover what happened to the artist after over thirty years of rumors surrounding her controversial life and the resurfacing of her long lost paintings in Canada
Lady in The Garden
Charlie Pete of Lower Post, British Columbia, led a sometimes tortured and troubled life. So did his friend Jimmy Dennis. As children, both were taken from their homes on the same day in 1944. They never saw their families again. Both men have spent a lifetime trying to overcome the impact of that awful day and the eight years that followed.
North Boys: The Story of Jimmy and Charlie
In New York City on March 2, 2010, one-by-one, twelve courageous women from Burma stood before a microphone to tell their stories to the world.
This is My Witness
Sometimes it takes a person who is outside of a situation to help us see things clearly.
One Last Drink
The film follows the journey of a delegation of women, led by Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams, as they travel through Israel and Palestine and meet with diverse groups of Israeli and Palestinian women leaders that are working towards peace at the grassroots level on both sides of the on-going conflict.
Partners for Peace
Paul has won two tickets to Taiwan. He decides to try speed dating to find someone to take with him and finds more than he expected.