PAULA KWESKIN is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, writer, and human rights attorney.
She believes in the power of media and the arts to advocate for change.
Her films have been featured in several international film festivals and distributed on Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, DirecTV, and Al-Hurra, among other international platforms.
Her first film, Honor Diaries, broke the silence on honor-based violence. Faithkeepers, executive produced by Roma Downey, tells the personal stories of Christian and minority persecution in the Middle East.
Paula is the founder and director of the The 49%, an organization dedicated to advancing global women’s rights through film and media. The 49% hosts films festivals around the world pushing the envelope in the cinematic portrayal of women’s rights and bringing together dynamic activists and filmmakers. The festival selects the most powerful films which uncover silenced women’s issues, using this event to give voice to the voiceless.
Paula grew up in Charlotte, NC and received a J.D. and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds an LL.M in Human Rights and International Law from the Hebrew University.