James Paul Dallas is a queer Canadian-American filmmaker based in New York City. His short films have received critical acclaim and screened internationally.
Moving between fiction and documentary, his work explores how films construct narrative, shape our understanding of reality, and engage with the history of cinema. He is drawn to formally bold storytelling that combines intuition and concept.
As a writer and producer, he has developed projects for CNN Films/Amazon, HBO, Hulu,YouTube Originals, Field of Vision, and Spotify. Their work has screened internationally at Sundance, Berlin, IFFR, Tribeca, SFFILM, SXSW, and elsewhere, garnering accolades inlcuding a Peabody Award, an NAACP Image Award, and Emmy and Academy Award nominations.
Teaching and mentorship are integral to his practice. Since 2020, he has led filmmaking labs and workshops at UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art, helping filmmakers develop their artistic vision and storytelling form. He also works as a consultant, advising on story development, structure, and editorial approach.
His writing on film has appeared in many publications including Artforum, BOMB, Film Comment, Filmmaker, and Extra Extra Magazine. As a curator, he has organized film series and events for BAM Cinema, Guggenheim Museum, Columbia University, Maysles Documentary Center, and elsewhere.
He is a 2025 MacDowell Fellow. He holds a B.Arch from The Cooper Union.