Jay Paris
Director
Other Roles: Independent Filmmaker
Areas of Focus: Documentaries
Organization: Beheard World
Website: https://www.beheard.world/
Biography
Jay Paris is a Boston-based filmmaker and former magazine photojournalist who has been making documentary films since 2014. He directed and produced “Lenox Street,” which premiered at the GlobeDocs Film Festival in 2017, was accepted at the New[port Beach Film Festival and won an Award of Excellence at the Indie X Competitions and the Best Shorts Competition. In 2020, he made “Together, Six Feet Apart,” which premiered at the Roxbury International Film Festival and won awards of excellence at the Chicago Indie Film Awards, the Independent Shorts Awards, and the Best Shorts Competition. In 2021 he made his first feature length documentary, “Invisible Imprints,” which premiered at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in NYC, was selected by the Miami Independent Film Awards, was a Semi-Finalist in the Seattle Filmmakers Awards and won Best Documentary Film at the LA Sun Film Festival.
“Invisible Imprints” and “Together – Six Feet Apart” are distributed by IndiePix Films; and “Invisible Imprints” is now streaming on Amazon Prime and other platforms.
He also co-founded beheard.world (www.beheard.world) which is non-profit that utilizes the arts to advance social justice. At beheard.world he oversees film projects.
Films
Lenox Street (2015)
Role: Director
Lenox Street
Lenox Street follows the lives of 19 teenagers from one of Boston’s most violent neighborhood with 39 major school infractions as they enter a three-month performing arts workshop and then go on stage around the city. The film looks at the power of the expressive arts to transform teenagers, particularly teens who are struggling with their identities and place in the world. Lenox Street premiered in the GlobeDocs Film Festival in the fall of 2017 and has achieved several awards of excellence at film festivals. .
Together 6 Feet Apart (2026)
Role: Director
Together – 6 Feet Apart
During the COVID19 epidemic, I gathered a team of social justice artists (dancers, poets, choreographers and filmmakers) to create “Together 6 – Feet Apart,” an award-winning 24-minute film, made to bring understanding to the deeper issues of racism and to start online, facilitated discussions and conversations. The presentations and facilitated discussions have been implemented widely at schools and with corporate boards, civic organizations and faith groups. The film premiered at the Roxbury International Film Festival and won awards of excellence at the Chicago Indie Film Awards, the Independent Shorts Awards, and the Best Shorts Competition.
Invisible Imprints (2023)
Role: Director
Invisible Imprints
This feature-length documentary follows 12 Boston-based poets and dancers as they travel from Jackson, MS up the Great Migration Trail to Chicago, performing an original piece called Invisible Imprints of Racism. At each showing they facilitate talkbacks with audiences, exploring and confronting issues of race. As these dramatic experiences unfold on the tour, the film captures the performers’ own struggles with identity and race, shedding light on the deeper truths of racial divisions from diverse perspectives. Invisible Imprints premiered at the Socially Relevant Film Festival in NYC, was selected by the Miami Independent Film Awards, was a Semi-Finalist in the Seattle Filmmakers Awards and won Best Documentary Film at the LA Sun Film Festival. It is being marketed and distributed in Europe and North America by IndiePix Films and is available for streaming on Prime Video and other streaming platforms.
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