Joe Balass is an independent filmmaker working in both fiction and documentary. He resides in Montreal where he operates a production company, Compass Productions Inc. In addition, he also works as a freelance producer, editor and cameraman. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq and after escaping with his family at the age of four, he eventually settled in Canada. Balass has produced and directed a number of award-winning films and videos. He expresses a very spontaneous blend of seriousness and humour in his approach to filmmaking, like in JOY! Portrait of a Nun, a documentary from 2012.
The Cinémathèque Québécoise organised a retrospective of his work in 2014.
Filmography
The Length of the Alphabet (2013 / 52 min)
JOY! Portrait of a Nun (2012 / 71 min)
Baghdad Twist (2007 / 34 min)
Parting Words (2006 / 8 min)
The Devil in the Holy Water (2002 / 94 min)
Nana, George and Me (1997 / 48 min)
