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Jia Rizivi (born 1 September 1977) is aka WertzRizvi is a Canadian filmmaker, Founder and fashion designer of Studio 15.[1][2][3] She is known for her debut documentary film, Conviction: a true story based on the life of 16-year-old Jeffrey Deskovic who was wrongly convicted for the rape and murder of Angela Correa, his high school classmate.[3] Jia won Digital trends media group DEI award for her work to show the flaws in the American Justice system through Conviction.[4][5]
Jia Rizivi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1 September 1977 |
| Citizenship | Canadian |
| Education | George Brown College, fashion design New York film academy, directing |
| Known for | Conviction, documentary |
| Parents |
|
| Website | Official website |
Jia is a writer and contributor on Forbes on articles related to business and fashion. Along with John Gully, she co-hosts a true-crime podcast series, Speaking of Crime, investigating mysterious unsolved cases.[3]
Jia also serves on the board of Purdue Northwest's Center for Justice and Post-Exoneration Assistance, which works to address wrongful convictions and support the exonerated. She also serves on the board of Youth Represent, an organization that empowers Black, Latinx, and other marginalized youth impacted by the criminal justice system.[6][7]
Early life and Education
editJia Rizvi was born in Tripoli, Libya to her father, Aftab Rizvi, and mother, Shaista Rizvi, who are of Pakistani origin. She is the eldest of three children, having two younger brothers. Later, her family immigrated to Calgary, Canada, where she attended Ernest Manning High School. Upon graduating from high school, Jia went on to study fashion design at George Brown College in Toronto.[1][8] Subsequently, she moved to the United States after meeting and marrying her American husband.[9] Jia then attended the New York Film Academy to study the art of filmmaking.[10]
Career
editFashion Industry
editFollowing her graduation from George Brown College, Jia joined the fashion industry, where she worked for two decades in New York and San Francisco. During this time, she founded Studio 15, a retail establishment focused on women's fashion.[1]
Filmmaking
editJia used to be inspired by the Norman Jewison's 1999 film Hurricane, the story based on Rubin Carter, a person who wrongfully convicted in the 1960s who later became free after 20 years of imprisonment.[1] In 2014 she followed investigative journalism podcast Serial which covered the events of Hae Min Lee's killing arguing the Pakistani man Syed Adnan did not kill her.[11] Jia organized a fundraiser for a legal defund in the controversial Adnan case trial. During the fundraiser she get introduced with Jeffrey Deskovic, a person whom she later filmed the conviction.[8][12]
Conviction
edit"Conviction" is a documentary by Jia Werth that recounts the true story of Jeffrey Deskovic, a 16-year-old wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of his high school classmate, Angela Correa. It was a case of misidentification, robbing a young man of his dreams and liberties, as he was unjustly imprisoned without due process. The film depicts Deskovic's courageous fight for freedom and his ultimate triumph over the injustice he faced, which is portrayed as a heroic struggle.[2][3]
In an interview Jia said “I don’t have words for how amazing Jef is and the perseverance he has. He’s got the biggest heart and he will tell you himself that what he went through was horrific but at least he came out with a clear cut mission in life.”[2]
Conviction shows the flaws in the American Justice System.[3] Currently it is believed about estimated that between 4-6% of people incarcerated in US prisons are actually innocent.[13]
The documentary was first premiered at the Greenwich International Film Festival. Soon after its release the documentary gained success receiving eleven official selections in film festival circuits and winning three awards so far.[9]
Festivals, Awards & Nominations
edit- Official Selection - Greenwich International Film Festival
- Official Selection - NewFilmmakers NY3
- Official Selection - Lift Off New York Film Festival
- Semi-Finalist, Documentary - Cannes International Independent Film Festival
- Official Selection - Independent Cinema Showcase
- Official Selection - (In)Justice For All Film Festival International
- Semi-Finalist - New York Cinematography Awards
- Semi-Finalist - Best Shorts Fest
- Official Selection - Georgia Documentary Film Festival
- Official Selection - Georgia Shorts Film Festival
- Official Selection - Canada Shorts Film Festival
- Digital Trends Diversity Equity & Inclusion Award
- Official Selection - Peekskill Film Festival
- Official Selection - Beeston Film Festival, UK
- Taiwan Innocence Project Film Festival, Taipei, Taiwan
Awards
edit- Best Picture Award - Georgia Shorts Film Festival
- Best Cinematography Award - Georgia Documentary Film Festival
- Best Documentary Film Award Nomination - Georgia Documentary Film Festival
- Award of Distinction - Canada Shorts Film Festival https://canadashorts.com/2020.php
- Honorable Mention, Documentary - Peekskill Film Festival
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award - Digital Trends
- Special Mention - Injustice For All Film Festival
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Calgary filmmaker battles injustice with features about wrongfully convicted". calgaryherald.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Calgarian living in New York celebrates success for true crime documentary". globalnews.ca. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "And Justice for All: A Conversation With Jia Wertz Who's Taking On the American Judicial System". americankahani.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Digital Trends Media Group Announces DEI Advertising Award Recipients". www.dtmg.co. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ "Review: True Crime Documentary 'Conviction' Sheds Light On Shortcomings Of The Criminal Justice System - Grit Daily News". 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ "Advisory Board". Purdue University Northwest. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ "Board of Directors". Youth Represent. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ^ a b "ustice Champion Spotlight: Filmmaker Jia Wertz". rbij.org. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Filmmaker Jia Wertz: The Power of Flexibility; How I Was Able To Pivot To A New Exciting Opportunity Because Of The Pandemic". medium.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Magazine, Brown Girl (2020-11-25). "Jia Wertz Advocates for Criminal Justice Reform With her Documentary 'Conviction'". Brown Girl Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ Carr, David (2014-11-24). "'Serial,' Podcasting's First Breakout Hit, Sets Stage for More". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ "GlobeDocs Presents: 'Conviction'". globedocspresentsconviction.splashthat.com. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ "Beneath the Statistics: The Structural and Systemic Causes of Our Wrongful Conviction Problem". Georgia Innocence Project. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2024-08-12.