James Blokland is a filmmaker with a passion for editing award-winning feature films, television series, and documentaries that have screened worldwide. His work has appeared on numerous platforms, including Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Discovery Plus, CBC, NatGeo, Arte, and many others.
James has edited films that have premiered at prestigious festivals such as TIFF, MoMA, Karlovy Vary, Pusan, and Rome, and has been nominated for 12 Genie (CSA) Awards and 3 ACTRA Awards. One of his notable works is the dramatic feature Nurse.Fighter.Boy, which was named one of TIFF's Canada Top Ten.
James has also worked on comedies, such as Year of the Carnivore, starring Cristin Millioti, which opened Canada First! at TIFF '09. He has also collaborated with director Naoko Ogigami on her first English-language film, Toilet, which enjoyed a six-month run on over 100 screens across Japan.
In addition to his work in feature films, James has also ventured into documentary filmmaking, with his first project being Sherien Barsoum's feature Colour Me, which played to packed houses at TIFF Bell/LightBox and was broadcast in the U.S. on the Documentary Channel.
In 2018, James co-directed and produced his debut feature, 52 Words for Love, which was picked up by Films We Like for distribution in major territories and is currently available on iTunes and Amazon Prime. He has also recently completed editorial work on the Discovery Plus Original series Fight or Flight, which premiered in May 2022.
James has been nominated for four Canadian Cinema Editors Awards for his work in documentary film and is a graduate of Ryerson University's Radio & Television Arts program. He has also studied acting at George Brown College and has written a stack of spec screenplays that have placed highly at prestigious screenwriting competitions.
As a musician, James is also recording a first album of original songs in his home studio. With his strong story sense, keen eye, and collaborative nature, James Blokland is a coveted film partner, well-versed in both Canadian and International film productions. Samples of his work can be screened at www.blokland.com.
