Paul Lee graduated from the University of Toronto with B.Sc. (biology/anthropology/Latin American Studies) and M.A. (anthropology) and Ph.D. (education), and from York University with M.B.A. (arts & media administration) and M.F.A. (film).
As a film producer, Paul specializes in producing films for first-time filmmakers, and in producing international co-productions, women’s films, Asian films, LGBT films, human rights/social justice and environmental educational films. Paul has produced, co-produced, and associate-produced over 30 films, including San Francisco filmmaker Jenni Olson’s Berlin-premiered BLUE DIARY and Sundance-premiered THE JOY OF LIFE, and the Berlin-premiered BELOW THE BELT by Toronto filmmakers Dominique Cardona and Laurie Colbert.
Since 1991 Paul has organized, programmed, and curated film festivals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Mauritius, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines.
In 1994 Paul made his own first short film THICK LIPS THIN LIPS, which has won 9 awards, and was screened at over 230 film festivals worldwide after its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 1995 he made his second film THESE SHOES WEREN’T MADE FOR WALKING, which has won 6 awards, and was screened at over 90 film festivals after its premiere at the Sydney Film Festival (and the film is used in the Women’s Studies curriculum in more than 30 universities and colleges across Canada, the U.S., Polynesia and the Caribbean).
In 1999 he made his third film THE OFFERING, which has won 71 awards to date, and was screened at over 490 film festivals worldwide after its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival.
When not producing films for other filmmakers or making his own films, Paul takes care of international marketing for the Cinema Development Fund in Kyrgyzstan, and for the Swedish film distribution company Glimz AB (www.glimz.net).
