Director
Jith Paul is an Ottawa-based creative who bridges communications, 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.
