Hello! I'm Zahri Josita Jackson and I'm a freelance filmmaker and actress with a love for storytelling, collaboration, community, and diverse, youthful voices.
I am a recent alumna of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Film & Television. As the Media Production Director and Co-Director of Content for TEAM Mag, I get to organize photo shoots, connect with young, up-and-coming artists and major brands, exercise my photography and videography skills, and digitally curate the showcasing of Black, Brown, and Queer art. Similarly, my previous work as a Research and Development Intern at the woman-of-color-led production company, Culture.House Media, and Production Intern at ViacomCBS/Showtime, has given my love of spotlighting underrepresented voices a professional and mainstream context.
As a young Jamaican and African American filmmaker, my work explores the intersections of Black woman- and girlhood, mental wellness, and restorative justice. I believe that storytelling has the power to change the world, as it facilitates my drive to connect to the masses and offer new and underrepresented perspectives to the big screen.
My commitment to artist citizenship has awarded me recognition by the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program, Black Film Space x Nice Shoes Post-production Grant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Citizenship Award, and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General Right Direction Award. I also have been acknowledged by the Greater Washington Urban League with their largest scholarship award, the Charlotte Elizabeth Yancy Eights Scholarship, and NYU Tisch's Office of Career Development with the Ulrich-Stewart Family Funded Internship Award.
My commitment to artist citizenship has awarded me recognition by the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program, Black Film Space x Nice Shoes Post-production Grant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Citizenship Award, and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General Right Direction Award. I also have been acknowledged by the Greater Washington Urban League with their largest scholarship award, the Charlotte Elizabeth Yancy Eights Scholarship, and NYU Tisch's Office of Career Development with the Ulrich-Stewart Family Funded Internship Award.
Further, TEAM Mag has partnered with organizations/brands such as Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, acne-positive skincare brand, Starface, and sustainable clothing brands, Parade, CHNGE, and Girlfriend Collective and have been mentioned in GUCCI's Chime for Change zine, Teen Vogue, Vogue, and L’officiel Hommes Italia.
I recently wrapped post-production for my thesis short film, In My Garden.
Archive
Directing
In My Garden (2022) — Narrative Short — NYU Film & TV — Writer + Director + Producer — Black Film Festival of New Orleans Young Filmmaker Award Winner
Stasis (2021) — Short Poetry Film — shot and dir. by Zahri Josita Jackson, starring Maritza Cayo
Shelter (2021) — Narrative Short — NYU Film & TV — dir. by Zahri Josita Jackson, shot by Ava Emilione
Resilience (2021) — SELFMADE True Grit Product Launch Content — dir., shot, edited by, and starring Zahri Josita Jackson
Ashley Marsh (2020) — Documentary Short — NYU Film & TV — dir. Zahri Josita Jackson, shot by Ashley Newquist and Zahri Josita Jackson
PROCESS (2020) — Experimental Short — dir. and shot by Zahri Josita Jackson
got home safe :) (2019) — Narrative Short— NYU Film & TV — dir. Zahri Josita Jackson, shot by Amanda Eckroth — NYU FOCUS Film Festival Official Selection
Acting/Modeling
Growing Up (2022) — Upcoming Docuseries — Culture.House Media
Noitamalcer (2022) — Short Film — dir. Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah for MTV — Amma
Gucci Changemakers 3.0 Launch Video (2021) — Fashion Film — Gucci, dir. Sage Dolan-Sandrino — Changemaker, Narration
And Just Like That... (2021) — Series — HBO Max — Restaurant Patron
Culture Unmuted (2020) — Virtual Play — dir. Shermica Farquhar, writer. Marjuan Canady — Roxanne
Crew
Blueberry Island (2021) — Narrative Short — dir. Emily Gurland — Production Assistant
Touch (2021) — Music Video — dir. Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah — Director's Assistant
Con with me if you want to live (2021) — Narrative Short — NYU Film & TV — dir. Adam Olkin — Assistant Director
Text Me When You Get Home (2020) — Narrative Short — NYU Film & TV — dir. Adam Olkin — Production Sound
White Picket Fence (2019) — Narrative Short — NYU Film & TV — dir. Christine Etter — Script Supervisor The Bluest Eye (2017) — Stage Play — dir. Eric Ruffin — Assistant Director
TEAM Mag
TEAM x Girlfriend Collective (2021) — Model for Sustainable Fitness Brand, exploring cultural sustainability. Shot and directed by Sage Dolan-Sandrino
TEAM x Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (2021) — Guest Collaborator for Design Camp for ages 11-13
Until Next: Rina and Chi (2021) — Photographer and Issue Closing Statement
TEAM x CHNGE (2020) — Model for Sustainable Clothing Brand
TEAM x Parade (2020) — Photographer, Videographer, Model
Thhrift’s Thrift (2019): pop-up thrift store + young artist lounge in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts REACH Opening Festival, Production Coordinator — Zahri Josita Jackson
Press
Mentioned in Teen Vogue's 21 Under 21 feature on Sage Dolan-Sandrino (2020)
Thank you!